variants
also wannabee
as in follower
a person who adopts the appearance or behavior of another especially in an obvious way
an entrepreneur who seems to have made his fortune mainly by giving how-to-get-rich lectures to entrepreneurial wannabes
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wannabe
All the young, single Carolyn Bessette wannabes were vying for his attention.
—
Richard Johnson, New York Daily News, 22 Mar. 2026
Young courtesan wannabe Gigi (Leslie Caron) and Parisian playboy Gaston (Louis Jourdan) see each other as just friends, until romance intercedes in the musical confection.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026
Plenty of Kennedy wannabes showed up too late to compete, like brothers Denny and Enny—models, actors, and content creators who are originally from Montenegro and now live in Williamsburg.
—Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 9 Mar. 2026
From the dealmakers in the Polo Lounge to the celebs hiding away in the spacious bungalows, all manner of tastemakers and wannabes have stopped by the Pink Palace at some time or another.
—Tim Chester, Robb Report, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wannabe
Richard Johnson, New York Daily News, 22 Mar. 2026
Young courtesan wannabe Gigi (Leslie Caron) and Parisian playboy Gaston (Louis Jourdan) see each other as just friends, until romance intercedes in the musical confection.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026
Plenty of Kennedy wannabes showed up too late to compete, like brothers Denny and Enny—models, actors, and content creators who are originally from Montenegro and now live in Williamsburg.
—Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 9 Mar. 2026
From the dealmakers in the Polo Lounge to the celebs hiding away in the spacious bungalows, all manner of tastemakers and wannabes have stopped by the Pink Palace at some time or another.
—Tim Chester, Robb Report, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wannabe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wannabe
Noun
-
Llontop, who grew up watching the World Cup, arrived at the pick-up match with her two children — and even documented her journey getting there on TikTok to her more than 50,000 followers.—
Andrea Flores,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
-
Hogan demanded his followers to train, say their prayers and eat their vitamins.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
Their clothes inspired imitators.—
Simon Perry,
PEOPLE,
9 June 2026
-
One of the more direct imitators of the SpaceX model is Blue Origin.—
David Szondy
May 31,
New Atlas,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
Loud crowds, bad lighting, wind noise, echo-heavy rooms or chaotic backstage areas can make content feel unprofessional no matter how good the conversation itself is.—
King Holder,
Rolling Stone,
4 June 2026
-
The Sweet Spot Between Design and Fragrances Olfactory Signals’ echo is resonating further afield among design-native brands.—
Sofia Celeste,
Footwear News,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wannabe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wannabe. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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