would-be

adjective

ˈwu̇d-ˈbē How to pronounce would-be (audio)
Synonyms of would-benext
: 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.
First applied by a few individual judges in 2019, it was rubber-stamped by a lower section of the supreme court in 2023, which led to regional judges across the country, who rule on citizenship cases, applying it to would-be citizens. — Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026 The opposition’s argument - that the consortium of would-be owners is attempting a hostile takeover of a captive utility monopoly in Indiana and west-central Ohio - is long on rhetoric but short on facts. — David Blackmon, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026 Because the Moroccan border guards did not stop the would-be migrants, some have speculated that the Moroccans themselves might have been behind the incident. — Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 2 Aug. 2026 The would-be comedy that braved the path of the Drama awards and was rewarded? — Joe Reid, Vulture, 1 Aug. 2026 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

Browse Nearby Words

would appreciate it
would-be
wouldest
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Would-be.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/would-be. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

would-be

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

More from Merriam-Webster on would-be

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for would-be

Nglish: Translation of would-be for Spanish Speakers

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