wannabe
noun
one who aspires, often vainly, to emulate another's success or attain eminence in some area.
wannabes
-
pluralof wannabe.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He now leads New York, “and there are wannabes all over the country,” she says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026
The distinction paid off with pros and wannabes alike, and by the time Quiksilver launched Roxy with Kasparian in 1990, they were a cultural juggernaut.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 15, 2026
Others, like the Elvis impersonators roaming the streets, were wannabes, eager to tap into the mass tort gold mine.
From Slate ● Jan. 13, 2026
In July, Brooklyn’s Bell House welcomed a sold-out crowd to see a live reading of an episode of Bravo’s 2012 one-hit-wonder show, “Gallery Girls,” about a group of privileged, post-grad art world wannabes.
From Salon ● Aug. 2, 2025
All these wannabes killing themselves, running around hanging the lamest posters and FB-ing everybody with Like me requests, and Castro wins without even being on the ballot, as a write-in.
From "Burning Blue" by Paul Griffin
