: 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
Notably, the administration’s loss on due process at the Supreme Court in an Alien Enemies Act case involved the Court saying that would-be deportees have the right to pursue habeas challenges to their detentions.
—Rich Lowry, National Review, 14 May 2025
Now other would-be hoteliers come to Barracuda to see how it’s done.
—Ann Abel, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
The South Africans jumped ahead of thousands of would-be refugees overseas who had been undergoing years of vetting and processing.
Episcopal Migration Ministries has long resettled refugees under federal grants.
—Peter Smith, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2025
TikTok has been dominated by fan-cams likening cardinals and would-be popes to Drag Race contenders and explainers dissecting religious systems and traditions.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for would-be
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Rich Lowry, National Review, 14 May 2025
Now other would-be hoteliers come to Barracuda to see how it’s done.
—Ann Abel, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
The South Africans jumped ahead of thousands of would-be refugees overseas who had been undergoing years of vetting and processing.
Episcopal Migration Ministries has long resettled refugees under federal grants.
—Peter Smith, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2025
TikTok has been dominated by fan-cams likening cardinals and would-be popes to Drag Race contenders and explainers dissecting religious systems and traditions.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 12 May 2025
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 21 May. 2025.
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