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
Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, Danny Wood and Jonathan and Jordan Knight half-rap over an irritating electronic backbeat like wannabe Beastie Boys.
—
Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 4 Dec. 2025
Well, that requires the typical wannabe California owner to stash away 55% of all spare cash after paying for taxes and basic needs for five consecutive years to build a nest egg equal to a 10% down payment.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 1 Dec. 2025
The onetime wannabe Broadway producer brought his particular style of late 20th century over-the-top macho taste to political events, elevating professional wrestling to the Republican National Convention and inviting the 1980s icons Sylvester Stallone and Mike Tyson to the White House.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 24 Nov. 2025
The gonzo comedy is set in the days before Lincoln’s assassination and imagines the former first lady as a alcoholic wannabe cabaret star.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wannabe
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.
Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 4 Dec. 2025
Well, that requires the typical wannabe California owner to stash away 55% of all spare cash after paying for taxes and basic needs for five consecutive years to build a nest egg equal to a 10% down payment.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 1 Dec. 2025
The onetime wannabe Broadway producer brought his particular style of late 20th century over-the-top macho taste to political events, elevating professional wrestling to the Republican National Convention and inviting the 1980s icons Sylvester Stallone and Mike Tyson to the White House.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 24 Nov. 2025
The gonzo comedy is set in the days before Lincoln’s assassination and imagines the former first lady as a alcoholic wannabe cabaret star.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wannabe
Cite this Entry
“Wannabe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wannabe. Accessed 8 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share