wannabe
noun
wan·na·be
ˈwä-nə-ˌbē 
variants
or less commonly wannabee
1
: a person who wants or aspires to be someone or something else or who tries to look or act like someone else
2
: something (such as a company, city, or product) intended to rival another of its kind that has been successful
especially
: one for which hopes have failed or are likely to fail
Examples of wannabe in a Sentence
an entrepreneur who seems to have made his fortune mainly by giving how-to-get-rich lectures to entrepreneurial wannabes
Recent Examples on the Web
From the dealmakers in the Polo Lounge to the celebs hiding away in the spacious bungalows, all manner of tastemakers and wannabes have stopped by the Pink Palace at some time or another.
—
Tim Chester, Robb Report, 5 Mar. 2026
The Dodgers’ split-squad group that journeyed the 14 miles from Glendale (and ultimately lost to Texas, 7-6) was largely a skeleton crew of Triple-A bound prospects and wannabes.
—Tim Cowlishaw, Dallas Morning News, 28 Feb. 2026
Van Der Beek had been directed by Edward Albee on a New York stage and had played a bully in the coming-of-age film Angus (1995) when he was hired as a Steven Spielberg wannabe on Dawson’s Creek, created by Kevin Williamson for Columbia TriStar Television.
—Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 11 Feb. 2026
In the end, the crowd voted, and the wannabe from Bourbonnais walked away with the title.
—Shardaa Gray, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wannabe
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Tim Chester, Robb Report, 5 Mar. 2026
The Dodgers’ split-squad group that journeyed the 14 miles from Glendale (and ultimately lost to Texas, 7-6) was largely a skeleton crew of Triple-A bound prospects and wannabes.
—Tim Cowlishaw, Dallas Morning News, 28 Feb. 2026
Van Der Beek had been directed by Edward Albee on a New York stage and had played a bully in the coming-of-age film Angus (1995) when he was hired as a Steven Spielberg wannabe on Dawson’s Creek, created by Kevin Williamson for Columbia TriStar Television.
—Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 11 Feb. 2026
In the end, the crowd voted, and the wannabe from Bourbonnais walked away with the title.
—Shardaa Gray, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wannabe
Cite this Entry
“Wannabe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wannabe. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
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