wannabe

American  

[won-uh-bee, waw-nuh‑] / ˈwɒn əˌbi, ˈwɔ nə‑ /

Sometimes wannabee

noun

Informal.

plural

wannabes

1. one who aspires, often vainly, to emulate another's success or attain eminence in some area.

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wannabe British  

/ ˈwɒnəˌbiː /

noun

1. informal

   1. a person who desires to be, or be like, someone or something else

      a group of Marilyn Monroe wannabes

   2. ( as modifier )

      a wannabe film star

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Etymology

Origin of wannabe

First recorded in 1980–85; derivative of (I) wanna be…

Example Sentences

Ruth, a fashion designer who quits the high-pressure world to become a teacher, acts as a contrast to the hustle culture-inspired ambitions of wannabe billionaire Becket, Henwick says.

From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026

“There’s a pool, I think, of wannabe buyers who have just been sitting on the sidelines and waiting for rates to come down,” Daniel Seely said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

I was a young wannabe filmmaker trying to learn how to make movies, and somebody like me was up there onstage telling a story about how he got there.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 21, 2026

Like so many of us, Good could have stayed tucked safely away in her house, looking the other way while a bunch of hastily hired wannabe warriors terrorized her neighbors.

From Salon • Jan. 9, 2026

I remembered him from freshman fall, class clown wannabe, emphasis on wannabe.

From "Burning Blue" by Paul Griffin

Related Words

• budding
• enterprising
• potential
• prospective