: 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
Median single-family home sale price is $409,500 Many would-be homebuyers have been priced out of the market due to constraints on inventory, prices that have surged over the last five years and elevated mortgage rates.
—Sarah Agostino, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2026
But for many would-be spectators, simply getting to the US could prove to be the biggest hurdle.
—Bailey Berg, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Jan. 2026
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, whose resume in this genre includes the Aquaman movies as well as HBO’s subversive Watchmen series, is our self-sabotaging would-be hero, Simon Williams, a struggling actor first seen getting fired from American Horror Story for overthinking a minor role.
—Judy Berman, Time, 26 Jan. 2026
With roads iced over and power grids failing, the NPS is urging would-be visitors to avoid the following parks until further notice.
—Owen Clarke, Outside, 26 Jan. 2026
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Sarah Agostino, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2026
But for many would-be spectators, simply getting to the US could prove to be the biggest hurdle.
—Bailey Berg, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Jan. 2026
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, whose resume in this genre includes the Aquaman movies as well as HBO’s subversive Watchmen series, is our self-sabotaging would-be hero, Simon Williams, a struggling actor first seen getting fired from American Horror Story for overthinking a minor role.
—Judy Berman, Time, 26 Jan. 2026
With roads iced over and power grids failing, the NPS is urging would-be visitors to avoid the following parks until further notice.
—Owen Clarke, Outside, 26 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 1 Feb. 2026.
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