would-be

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of would-be Borrowing costs are only part of the equation for would-be buyers, however. Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 6 June 2025 Also out of place is Bloom’s Marlon, one of Kat’s students and a dour would-be thespian, though his rank unsuitability for the comedy-club scene is more of a running gag. Guy Lodge, Variety, 6 June 2025 But with demand from would-be owners far outstripping supply in the 13-team league, many WNBA insiders believe the cost to acquire Connecticut could approach Cleveland’s ongoing bid for an expansion franchise, believed to be roughly $250 million. Brett Knight, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025 The 31-year-old victim managed to get away from the would-be captors, but the suspects got hold of the victim’s phone — and the keys to his apartment. Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 6 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for would-be
Recent Examples of Synonyms for would-be
Adjective
  • The hitmaker returned to the ceremony in 2025, debuting a new look on the red carpet.
    Michael Nied, People.com, 6 June 2025
  • Experts say the easiest way to become more open is to try something new.
    Elizabeth Passarella, New York Times, 6 June 2025
Adjective
  • Better yet, take the train north to Fort Tryon Park, and study untried ones.
    Walker Mimms, New York Times, 15 May 2025
  • One of City’s greatest financial successes has been their ability to generate vast sums for largely untried young players.
    Chris Weatherspoon, The Athletic, 19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Simply combine 1/2 cup unseasoned rice vinegar with 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon salt.
    Gretchen McKay, Twin Cities, 4 June 2025
  • Malone believed Booth made roster moves to force him into playing Booth's unseasoned draft picks.
    Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • This is a far cry from the beginning days of their relationship in 2016, when Justin was fresh off his number one album Purpose, which would go on to be certified six times platinum and be nominated for four Grammys.
    Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 21 May 2025
  • The beginning weeks of DOGE earlier this year were marked by chaos and confusion as the group carried out mass layoffs and spending cuts across federal agencies.
    Miranda Nazzaro, The Hill, 1 May 2025
Adjective
  • For example, half as many people work as unskilled helpers now than in 1999.
    Bahaa Chammout, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2025
  • When someone loses their cool, feedback is often unskilled, laden with negative emotion and unactionable.
    Hanna Hart, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • As fear grew in 2023 over the failure to reach a deal on raising the debt ceiling, the White House was said to be considering an option of last resort: an untested legal theory that involves invoking the 14th Amendment.
    Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 4 June 2025
  • But the measure does not explicitly permit tariffs, putting Trump in untested legal territory.
    Max Zahn, ABC News, 30 May 2025
Adjective
  • In 2020, the pair launched The Earthshot Prize – an ambitious environmental initiative that seeks to offer green solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges, including ocean protection.
    Olivia Kemp, CNN Money, 7 June 2025
  • Beneath this green canopy lies a modern transport facility equipped to handle high-speed rail and daily commuters, while above, the original 1907 station has been meticulously reconstructed as a cultural landmark.
    Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025
Adjective
  • The production of a new entry-level EV, priced around Euro 20,000 ($21,000), is slated to begin there in 2027.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • Triumph broke sales records in 2024, surpassing 100,000 bikes sold, thanks in large part to the entry-level Speed and Scrambler 400 models.
    Utkarsh Sood, New Atlas, 7 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Would-be.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/would-be. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.

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