: desiring, intending, professing, or having the potential to be
tips for would-be mothers and fathers
The conference, held over the Labor Day weekend, drew 1200 to 1300 writers and would-be writers to the Hawaiian island this year …—
John F. Baker
John F. BakerPossibly the most hilarious and outrageous character was Joey Tribbiani, a would-be actor who struggles to find success in his chosen profession …—The Cheat Sheet
The Cheat SheetShe's a clueless, would-be do-gooder without much self-awareness.—Maureen Ryan
Maureen RyanExamples of would-be in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Melissa Pilon, a real estate agent in the South Bay with Compass, heard from one SpaceX buyer the day the company went public on a property in north Redondo Beach, and expects to hear from more would-be homeowners.
—
Roger Vincent,
Los Angeles Times,
29 June 2026
Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt’s 2018 book, How Democracies Die, argues that the most decisive figures in the success or failure of an authoritarian attempt are the would-be authoritarian’s ideological allies.
—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
26 June 2026
Years of soaring home prices, especially in the early part of this decade when rock-bottom mortgage rates fueled a buying frenzy, have left many would-be homebuyers frozen out of the market.
—
Alex Veiga,
Chicago Tribune,
25 June 2026
Weigh them down further by placing rocks or mounds of soil along the edges to deter would-be diggers from lifting or getting around them.
—
Nashia Baker,
Martha Stewart,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for would-be
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Roger Vincent,
Los Angeles Times,
29 June 2026
Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt’s 2018 book, How Democracies Die, argues that the most decisive figures in the success or failure of an authoritarian attempt are the would-be authoritarian’s ideological allies.
—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
26 June 2026
Years of soaring home prices, especially in the early part of this decade when rock-bottom mortgage rates fueled a buying frenzy, have left many would-be homebuyers frozen out of the market.
—
Alex Veiga,
Chicago Tribune,
25 June 2026
Weigh them down further by placing rocks or mounds of soil along the edges to deter would-be diggers from lifting or getting around them.
—
Nashia Baker,
Martha Stewart,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for would-be
Cite this Entry
“Would-be.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/would-be. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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