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

The would-be thief then fell to the ground before running away. — Jeramie Bizzle, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026

On top of home prices that skyrocketed in the COVID era, many of the places where affordability was still the order of the day are crowding out would-be new neighbors with property taxes that are also going through the roof. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2026

Beyond borrowing costs, rising home prices have left many would-be buyers facing a much higher bar. — Bydavid Schepp, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Sep. 2026

These zipper clips from Zelin come in remarkably handy for locking the zippers together on your day bag or luggage, a strategy that Steves recommends while out and about in order to make your bag more difficult for would-be thieves to access. — Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 13 Sep. 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