would-be

adjective

ˈwu̇d-ˈbē 

: 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

Possibly 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

She's a clueless, would-be do-gooder without much self-awareness.

—Maureen Ryan

Examples of would-be in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

An aurora photographer who spoke to National Geographic offered tips for novices trying to take photos of the phenomenon, including would-be photographers who only have access to a smartphone camera. — Zachary Folk, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026

The would-be burglars targeted a home in Pasadena, California. — Abigail Velez, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026

Johnson was elusive Saturday while slipping off multiple would-be tacklers — a quality the Chiefs’ backs lacked in 2025. — Jesse Newell, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026

The rock fitting of the would-be First Lady was eventually picked out at the Van Cleef & Arpels Fifth Avenue boutique in New York City. — Freya Drohan, InStyle, 16 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1647, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

would-be

adjective

ˌwu̇d-ˌbē

: desiring, intending, or pretending to be

a would-be poet