: 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
John F. BakerPossibly 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
The Cheat SheetShe's a clueless, would-be do-gooder without much self-awareness.—Maureen Ryan
Maureen RyanExamples of would-be in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Trump has repeatedly said, including in a briefing immediately following the shooting, that the 20,000-square-foot addition would have prevented a would-be shooter from getting close to him.
—Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
Bishop encouraged followers to abandon their families and join his vision of a would-be utopia.
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 28 Apr. 2026
The would-be robbery victim did not need medical attention after being punched.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2026
This time, the forward’s shot found the net, but an offside call negated the would-be decisive shot.
—Ryan Finley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for would-be
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Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
Bishop encouraged followers to abandon their families and join his vision of a would-be utopia.
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 28 Apr. 2026
The would-be robbery victim did not need medical attention after being punched.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2026
This time, the forward’s shot found the net, but an offside call negated the would-be decisive shot.
—Ryan Finley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for would-be
Cite this Entry
“Would-be.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/would-be. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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