: 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
At 1981's Trooping the Colour, Diana rode in a carriage with former Prince Andrew, as her husband-to-be Prince Charles was riding on horseback as part of the processional.
—
Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 13 June 2026
The first photo featured the father-to-be, Derek, kissing Rumer’s belly.
—Laura Millar, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026
The soon-to-be trillionaire — on paper at least — made his fortune by creating two companies, Zip2 and PayPal, that netted him about $200 million at sale.
—Bernard Condon, Fortune, 12 June 2026
Jackie's soon-to-be mother-in-law channels all her resentment and rage into breaking up her son's engagement by becoming an absolute terror.
—Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 12 June 2026
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Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 13 June 2026
The first photo featured the father-to-be, Derek, kissing Rumer’s belly.
—Laura Millar, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026
The soon-to-be trillionaire — on paper at least — made his fortune by creating two companies, Zip2 and PayPal, that netted him about $200 million at sale.
—Bernard Condon, Fortune, 12 June 2026
Jackie's soon-to-be mother-in-law channels all her resentment and rage into breaking up her son's engagement by becoming an absolute terror.
—Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 12 June 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 16 Jun. 2026.
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