: that is to be : future
—usually used postpositively and often in combination
a bride-to-be
Examples of to-be in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Lubesnik meets up with his soon-to-be-ex-wife — her name is Angie — to negotiate the terms of his moving out.
—
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 13 Feb. 2026
Problem is, the soon-to-be 28-year-old has struggled physically for most of his career.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
The soon-to-be 36-year-old missed the last eight games of the 2025 season after suffering a Lisfranc injury in a Week 11 win over the Detroit Lions.
—The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026
The soon-to-be unexpected medal in mixed team curling was the result of a fantastic and dramatic day for the Americans.
—John Cherwa, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
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David Fear, Rolling Stone, 13 Feb. 2026
Problem is, the soon-to-be 28-year-old has struggled physically for most of his career.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
The soon-to-be 36-year-old missed the last eight games of the 2025 season after suffering a Lisfranc injury in a Week 11 win over the Detroit Lions.
—The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026
The soon-to-be unexpected medal in mixed team curling was the result of a fantastic and dramatic day for the Americans.
—John Cherwa, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for to-be
Cite this Entry
“To-be.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/to-be. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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