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.
That begs the question of why they were performed, other than raw intimidation, deterring would-be whistleblowers, and punishing the disloyal.
From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2026
A combination of high mortgage rates, years of tight housing supply and record-high prices has discouraged many would-be first-time buyers and repeat buyers.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 10, 2026
Another lawyer, Emmanuel Daoud, expressed hope that the three-week trial would be an opportunity to see would-be migrants not as "statistics or commodities, but human beings in search of a better life."
From Barron's ● Sep. 8, 2026
Jenrick, who the Express refers to as the "would-be Chancellor", unveiled the "bold" plans to raise the tax-free personal allowance to £15,000, up from £12,570 where it has been frozen since 2021.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
At first, I thought they had been sent out to calm the crowd—or was it to apprehend would-be play pirates?
From "The Shakespeare Stealer" by Gary L. Blackwood
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.
