wannabe
[ won-uh-bee, waw-nuh‐ ]
/ ˈwɒn əˌbi, ˈwɔ nə‐ /
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noun, plural wan·na·bes.Informal.
one who aspires, often vainly, to emulate another's success or attain eminence in some area.
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON “THEIR,” “THERE,” AND “THEY’RE”
Are you aware how often people swap around “their,” “there,” and “they’re”? Prove you have more than a fair grasp over these commonly confused words.
Question 1 of 7
Which one of these commonly confused words can act as an adverb or a pronoun?
Sometimes wan·na·bee .
Origin of wannabe
First recorded in 1980–85; derivative of (I) wanna be…
Words nearby wannabe
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for wannabe
British Dictionary definitions for wannabe
wannabe
wannabee
/ (ˈwɒnəˌbiː) /
noun
informal
- a person who desires to be, or be like, someone or something elsea group of Marilyn Monroe wannabes
- (as modifier)a wannabe film star
Word Origin for wannabe
C20: phonetic shortening of want to be
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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