: 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.
The manager also noted the big hits, including Albies’ two-run, two-out homer in the third, Riley’s two-out homer that regained a 4-3 lead in the fourth and would-be homers by Albies in the fourth and rookie catcher Drake Baldwin in the fifth. David O'Brien, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025 For now, here are some of the notable would-be Democratic candidates eyeing 2028 bids. David Mark, The Washington Examiner, 28 Mar. 2025 Meanwhile, the Center for Immigration Studies, an immigration-skeptic group, estimates that U.S. border authorities are catching close to 95 percent of would-be crossers; if so, this means that successful crossings have trickled down to likely the lowest level since the Great Depression. David Frum, The Atlantic, 28 Mar. 2025 These companies are turning would-be food waste into useful upcycled products. Danielle Nierenberg, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Would-be.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/would-be. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

would-be

adjective
ˌwu̇d-ˌbē
: desiring, intending, or pretending to be
a would-be poet

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