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
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Recent Examples of wannabe
The musical grinds to a halt whenever Norma is offstage and a chorus of showbiz wannabes, clad in cargo pants and hoodies, scavenge for their next meal ticket.
—
Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 21 Oct. 2024
Despite the low bar, voters usually see through wannabes who won’t cut it, said Pat Royal, spokesman for the sheriffs’ group.
—Bill Laytner, Detroit Free Press, 31 Oct. 2024
Traveling together through middle America, the constantly-bickering duo induct a military wannabe, a mentally unstable mom, and a mysterious foreign hitchhiker into their cult.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 25 Oct. 2024
She’s judged wannabes on American Idol; she’s headlined the Super Bowl halftime show; she’s celebrated a king’s coronation.
—Maura Johnston, Rolling Stone, 20 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for wannabe 
Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 21 Oct. 2024
Despite the low bar, voters usually see through wannabes who won’t cut it, said Pat Royal, spokesman for the sheriffs’ group.
—Bill Laytner, Detroit Free Press, 31 Oct. 2024
Traveling together through middle America, the constantly-bickering duo induct a military wannabe, a mentally unstable mom, and a mysterious foreign hitchhiker into their cult.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 25 Oct. 2024
She’s judged wannabes on American Idol; she’s headlined the Super Bowl halftime show; she’s celebrated a king’s coronation.
—Maura Johnston, Rolling Stone, 20 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for wannabe
Thesaurus Entries Near wannabe
Cite this Entry
“Wannabe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wannabe. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
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