: 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
Bulgaria’s most enduring would-be savior is Boyko Borissov, a three-time prime minister and former bodyguard who first rose to prominence as the mayor of Sofia, presenting himself as Bulgaria’s Batman — a tough, no-nonsense avenger who would rid Gotham of corruption and instability.
—Andrew Higgins, New York Times, 8 May 2024
Noa discovers that this would-be great ape is obsessed with a giant vault guarded by impenetrable steel doors.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 8 May 2024
The administration has coupled that restriction with an unprecedented expansion in channels for would-be migrants to come to the U.S. legally.
—Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 8 May 2024
This feud has shown Drake trying his hardest to go toe-to-toe with a true peer (as opposed to a challenger) for multiple bouts—and alienating a large swath of his would-be collaborators in hip-hop in the process.
—TIME, 7 May 2024
Meanwhile, cartels in Mexico expanded their human trafficking business across the world, appealing to would-be asylum seekers on social media, Modlin said.
—Ally Schweitzer, NPR, 6 May 2024
The government is trying to show that Google locked up key distribution channels for the general search engine market, so that would-be rivals could not grow into significant threats.
—Lauren Feiner, The Verge, 4 May 2024
Kelly Cunningham, San Diego Institute for Economic Research YES: Higher prices and interest rates decrease affordability for would-be buyers of every housing type.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 May 2024
And yet little about this John Travolta vehicle feels new or even timely, as the would-be thriller directed by Ives trades exclusively in shopworn tropes that by now are de rigueur for the genre.
—Michael Nordine, Variety, 26 Apr. 2024
Andrew Higgins, New York Times, 8 May 2024
Noa discovers that this would-be great ape is obsessed with a giant vault guarded by impenetrable steel doors.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 8 May 2024
The administration has coupled that restriction with an unprecedented expansion in channels for would-be migrants to come to the U.S. legally.
—Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 8 May 2024
This feud has shown Drake trying his hardest to go toe-to-toe with a true peer (as opposed to a challenger) for multiple bouts—and alienating a large swath of his would-be collaborators in hip-hop in the process.
—TIME, 7 May 2024
Meanwhile, cartels in Mexico expanded their human trafficking business across the world, appealing to would-be asylum seekers on social media, Modlin said.
—Ally Schweitzer, NPR, 6 May 2024
The government is trying to show that Google locked up key distribution channels for the general search engine market, so that would-be rivals could not grow into significant threats.
—Lauren Feiner, The Verge, 4 May 2024
Kelly Cunningham, San Diego Institute for Economic Research YES: Higher prices and interest rates decrease affordability for would-be buyers of every housing type.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 May 2024
And yet little about this John Travolta vehicle feels new or even timely, as the would-be thriller directed by Ives trades exclusively in shopworn tropes that by now are de rigueur for the genre.
—Michael Nordine, Variety, 26 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'would-be.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Would-be.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/would-be. Accessed 14 May. 2024.
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