: 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
Marty Supreme, on which Ronald was a writer and producer as well as the editor, burst onto the awards-season scene in the fall with an arms-outstretched audacity that would make its would-be ping-pong-champ protagonist proud.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2026
In the past year, experts predicted that sub-6% rates would be key to helping large chunks of would-be buyers afford homes — and believed that threshold wouldn't arrive until the end of this year or early 2027.
—Kelsey Neubauer, CNBC, 3 Mar. 2026
And Rick Heidner, a video gambling magnate with a controversial past who is running for the party’s nomination for governor in the March 17 GOP primary, also used the Clinton testimony to attack his would-be general election opponent.
—Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 3 Mar. 2026
For five days, would-be governors, senators and legislative hopefuls stream through the state Capitol to formally stake their claims to power, turning the Statehouse into a political parade.
—AJC.com, 2 Mar. 2026
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Alison Willmore, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2026
In the past year, experts predicted that sub-6% rates would be key to helping large chunks of would-be buyers afford homes — and believed that threshold wouldn't arrive until the end of this year or early 2027.
—Kelsey Neubauer, CNBC, 3 Mar. 2026
And Rick Heidner, a video gambling magnate with a controversial past who is running for the party’s nomination for governor in the March 17 GOP primary, also used the Clinton testimony to attack his would-be general election opponent.
—Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 3 Mar. 2026
For five days, would-be governors, senators and legislative hopefuls stream through the state Capitol to formally stake their claims to power, turning the Statehouse into a political parade.
—AJC.com, 2 Mar. 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 10 Mar. 2026.
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