First recorded in 1590–1600
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Toné! was born in 1986 when its to-be co-founders realized they could find success as their own entity.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 7, 2025
“I lied that my Nana was a Holocaust survivor. My to-be best friend had a Nana who was a real Holocaust survivor, and I really wanted to bond up.”
From New York Times ● Jan. 8, 2022
The company said certified or to-be certified pharmacy technicians who are responsible for administering flu and COVID-19 vaccines will be given $1,000 reward throughout a six-month retention period.
From Reuters ● Sep. 17, 2021
“Well, clearly we wanted to keep the name, so they’ve pretty much removed us from voting so they could get rid of the name,” said Cody Carpenter, a junior to-be.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 5, 2013
But his jabbing at me about being late does not leave me much room for wanting to-be nice.
From "The Misfits" by James Howe
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
