as in inexperienced
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Recent Examples of would-be
While the Morning Meeting was being recorded, news was breaking that the Justice Department dropped the criminal probe of Fed Chairman Jerome Powell , removing a hurdle to the confirmation of his would-be successor, Kevin Warsh .
—
Matthew J. Belvedere, CNBC, 24 Apr. 2026
Security immediately tackled a suspect to the ground, but the would-be leader of Iran seemed confused by the fray.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 23 Apr. 2026
Keep your paltry pocket lighters sheathed, would-be saboteurs.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 21 Apr. 2026
In a matter of hours, former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh will appear before the Senate Banking Committee in his first real test as a would-be central bank chairman.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for would-be
Matthew J. Belvedere, CNBC, 24 Apr. 2026
Security immediately tackled a suspect to the ground, but the would-be leader of Iran seemed confused by the fray.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 23 Apr. 2026
Keep your paltry pocket lighters sheathed, would-be saboteurs.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 21 Apr. 2026
In a matter of hours, former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh will appear before the Senate Banking Committee in his first real test as a would-be central bank chairman.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for would-be
Recent Examples of Synonyms for would-be
Adjective
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Rolder, an inexperienced but effective linebacker, could be an immediate impact player on special teams.—
Mike Kaye
April 22,
Charlotte Observer,
22 Apr. 2026
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Regulation remains uneven, education is inconsistent, and the line between a manageable high and a harmful one isn’t always clear, especially for younger or inexperienced users.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Even without the latest new-fangled gadgets, anglers are more technologically equipped than ever with things like GPS, electronic contour maps of lakes auto-steering trolling motors.—
Mike McFeely,
Twin Cities,
24 Apr. 2026
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McVay also said the decision to draft Simpson does not impact contract negotiations with Stafford as the Rams look to give him a new deal ahead of next season.—
Adam Grosbard,
Oc Register,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Originally hesitant about using the relatively untried medium of radio in this way, The King was reassured by a visit to the BBC in the summer of 1932 and agreed to take part.—
Stephanie Petit,
PEOPLE,
25 Dec. 2025
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The hitch is that Florida is dependent on an untried product.—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
18 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Andoni Bello, an LGBTQ+ activist who played for Mexico in amateur soccer tournaments organized by the International Gay and Lesbian Football Association, said the chant is a form of verbal aggression that can escalate into physical aggression.—
Carlos Rodriguez,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
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Fuqua had been pleased to discover, during the research for his film, that Mandela was an amateur boxer.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Even if your sauce is properly seasoned, your dish will taste flat when unseasoned noodles are added.—
Elizabeth Brownfield,
Southern Living,
3 Mar. 2026
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Where girl dinner is a charming (if not a little bit dumb) smorgasbord of snacky things like cheese and pretzels and salami, boy kibble (🤢) consists of unseasoned ground beef and white rice, consumed for the protein of it all.—
Li Goldstein,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Dugger served as a backup through the beginning portion of the season before being dealt to the Steelers at the NFL trade deadline.—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
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New York’s own ban, which went into effect during the current school year, has been widely praised by educators during its beginning months.—
Joseph Wilkinson,
New York Daily News,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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With the revision, unskilled workers in Noida will now earn approximately $147 per month, while semi-skilled and skilled workers will also see proportional increases.—
Mayu Saini,
Footwear News,
17 Apr. 2026
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Women worked as domestics; men served as unskilled laborers, canal diggers and later as mill workers across the river.—
Paula Kane,
The Conversation,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Others express skepticism over applying developing, arguably flawed and still relatively untested AI technology to criminal justice, with its far-reaching societal consequences.—
Edmund H. Mahony,
Hartford Courant,
20 Apr. 2026
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When Magyar takes office next month, that will mean his untested government of inexperienced ministers.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
19 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Would-be.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/would-be. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
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