: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In theory, the amount of crypto passing through Pump.Fun wallets could make the team a target for would-be extortionists. Joel Khalili, WIRED, 15 Jan. 2025 With Trump, everything is a transaction, and for his would-be suitors—not just Israel, but also Hamas’s sponsors in Qatar—the Gaza cease-fire is a down payment. Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 15 Jan. 2025 The Rangers’ hunt for a new in-market TV partnership comes as other would-be defectors have returned to the RSN fold. Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 15 Jan. 2025 Regardless, the song going from a viral would-be joke to the catalyst for a record deal shows where the industry is going. Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 14 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for would-be 

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 18 Jan. 2025.

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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