: 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 Others heard the sound of a would-be superstar still struggling to figure out her sound three albums later. Stephen Daw, Billboard, 17 Oct. 2024 This season, designers are throwing brides a bone: delightfully delicate straps on would-be strapless styles for a little extra support. Bella Gerard, refinery29.com, 16 Oct. 2024 The series sees would-be commentators take each other on in grand competitions and sequences, combining innovation and sporting expertise. Max Goldbart, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2024 In July, a would-be assassin shot Trump in the ear at a rally in Butler, Pa. Cervantes also suggested Bianco made the comments about Miller for political purposes. Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for would-be 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'would-be.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1647, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of would-be was in 1647

Dictionary Entries Near would-be

Cite this Entry

“Would-be.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/would-be. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

would-be

adjective
ˌwu̇d-ˌbē
: desiring, intending, or pretending to be
a would-be poet
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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