: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Over the years, the Pacers have seen most of the to-be rookies play. Tony East, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026 The glad-to-be-there Atlanta Hawks in the first round. Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 30 May 2026 And yet as the series expands from and twists around its simple horror concept (a wedding at the groom-to-be’s family house in the woods is fated for a titular dark catastrophe), Morrone’s performance as Rachel is able to shoulder the weight of quite a bit of backstory and a complicated endgame. Joe Reid, Vulture, 29 May 2026 But for Maria Poveromo, a soon-to-be Woodbridge High School graduate, some academic cliches still ring true. Victoria Le, Oc Register, 29 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for to-be

Word History

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of to-be was in 1594

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Cite this Entry

“To-be.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/to-be. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

to-be

adjective
tə-ˈbē
: that is to be : future
often used in combination
a bride-to-be
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