: 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
The ban has complicated the company's business, both by pulling the product from the menu and creating doubt in the minds of would-be investors.
—Paul Flahive, Austin American Statesman, 21 Jan. 2026
The would-be hitman's health and mobility were so obvious that attorneys on both sides addressed it with the jury.
—Sara MacHi, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
Wuthering Heights, director Emerald Fennell’s upcoming adaptation of Emily Brontë's classic novel, stars the actors as chaotic would-be lovers Catherine and Heathcliff.
—Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 20 Jan. 2026
These are the kind of losses that a would-be dictator still in the early stages of establishing a regime simply can’t afford.
—Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for would-be
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Paul Flahive, Austin American Statesman, 21 Jan. 2026
The would-be hitman's health and mobility were so obvious that attorneys on both sides addressed it with the jury.
—Sara MacHi, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
Wuthering Heights, director Emerald Fennell’s upcoming adaptation of Emily Brontë's classic novel, stars the actors as chaotic would-be lovers Catherine and Heathcliff.
—Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 20 Jan. 2026
These are the kind of losses that a would-be dictator still in the early stages of establishing a regime simply can’t afford.
—Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic, 20 Jan. 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 24 Jan. 2026.
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