would-be
Americanadjective
-
wishing or pretending to be.
a would-be wit.
-
intended to be.
a would-be kindness.
noun
adjective
-
derogatory wanting or professing to be
a would-be politician
-
intended to be
would-be generosity
noun
-
derogatory a person who wants or professes to be something that he is not
-
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.
But beyond the would-be TikTok stars, he sees a significant trend towards "every-day you and I" couples wanting them, often in order to protect inherited wealth.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
Some are by amateur forensic analysts and would-be internet sleuths with podcast names like The Murder Men that dissect the killing as if it’s a 1980s cold case.
From Slate ● Jul. 21, 2026
Catalogs have long had a formative impact on would-be consumers, offering a sense of aspiration on behalf of a future self, or a peek into the pasts of their loved ones.
From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026
These would-be business owners scrape together financing on a deal-by-deal basis.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
Wagons had gouged chasms across paths, roads, and would-be lawns.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
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.
