would-be

adjective

ˈwu̇d-ˈbē 

: desiring, intending, professing, or having the potential to be

tips for would-be mothers and fathers

The conference, held over the Labor Day weekend, drew 1200 to 1300 writers and would-be writers to the Hawaiian island this year …

—John F. Baker

Possibly the most hilarious and outrageous character was Joey Tribbiani, a would-be actor who struggles to find success in his chosen profession …

—The Cheat Sheet

She's a clueless, would-be do-gooder without much self-awareness.

—Maureen Ryan

Examples of would-be in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

At the most basic level, a prenup is a contract would-be spouses sign before getting hitched. — Victoria Bekiempis, Vulture, 1 July 2026

But the fire, and the dramatic photos of it, are deterring would-be vacationers. — Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 1 July 2026

A week later, the would-be Bachelorette star had her parenting time increased from eight to 12 hours a week. — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 1 July 2026

One program, Business Igniter, is designed to help would-be entrepreneurs go from concept to a working business model. — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 30 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1647, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

would-be

adjective

ˌwu̇d-ˌbē

: desiring, intending, or pretending to be

a would-be poet