would-be
Americanadjective
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wishing or pretending to be.
a would-be wit.
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intended to be.
a would-be kindness.
noun
adjective
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derogatory wanting or professing to be
a would-be politician
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intended to be
would-be generosity
noun
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derogatory a person who wants or professes to be something that he is not
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the person to whom one is is engaged to be married; fiancé or fiancée
Etymology
Origin of would-be
1250–1300; Middle English (adj.)
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.
The 36 stories of Trump Plaza were lined with balconies, offering would-be residents spectacular views across the Upper East Side.
From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026
All the affected would-be tenants told the BBC they felt pressured to pay more than they could afford.
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
And when Wembanyama rose up for a would-be game-winner on the other end moments later, it bounced off the rim.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026
Proponents say return hubs -- which would serve either as the final destination or as transfer centres for those expelled -- could facilitate repatriations and act as a deterrent for would-be irregular migrants.
From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026
That alone would kill the enthusiasm of any would-be acorn farmer who had defeated the squirrels and remained patient.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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.
