as in inexperienced
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Those nodules have tempted would-be miners for decades.
—
Daniel Ackerman, NPR, 27 Mar. 2025
Industry analysts say the tax will surely raise car prices in the U.S. and squeeze some would-be car buyers out of the market.
—Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2025
Susan had found Teresa and neutralized the redhead’s would-be rapist/gun runner with a bullet to his frank-and-beans, while Villanueva nearly met his match in one of the gun-running goons.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 27 Mar. 2025
Chloé Zhao followed up the gorgeous Nomadland (2020) with the would-be superhero franchise starter, Eternals (2021).
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for would-be
Daniel Ackerman, NPR, 27 Mar. 2025
Industry analysts say the tax will surely raise car prices in the U.S. and squeeze some would-be car buyers out of the market.
—Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2025
Susan had found Teresa and neutralized the redhead’s would-be rapist/gun runner with a bullet to his frank-and-beans, while Villanueva nearly met his match in one of the gun-running goons.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 27 Mar. 2025
Chloé Zhao followed up the gorgeous Nomadland (2020) with the would-be superhero franchise starter, Eternals (2021).
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for would-be
Recent Examples of Synonyms for would-be
Adjective
-
Update: Republished on April 7 with reports into new surge in mobile attacks.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
7 Apr. 2025
-
That's nothing new from Brown; the Tony-winning composer writes the kind of music that moves, endears, tickles, and entertains.—
Shania Russell,
EW.com,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
Within days, he was appointed as the new, young, untried head coach (and now manager) of former club Arsenal with his work ethic, his ambitions and his non-negotiables.—
Amy Lawrence,
The Athletic,
3 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
No one wants to risk having to choke down an unseasoned side dish, or wish that your aunt had made the green bean casserole like usual.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
27 Mar. 2025
-
While dogs can eat some human foods, like unseasoned pasta, as shown in the clip, some of our staples can be extremely toxic to them.—
Jonathan Granoff,
Newsweek,
29 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Well, the beginning days of spring can be cold, too.—
Alyssa Grabinski,
People.com,
8 Mar. 2025
-
Some of the efforts being eyed by hardline Republicans are focused on the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) workers, which DOGE — the brainchild of billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk — has sought to dismantle since the beginning days of the Trump administration.—
Mychael Schnell,
The Hill,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Related Stories Whoever says this is unskilled work is either ignorant or lying.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
4 Apr. 2025
-
Photo: Focus Features/Everett Collection A Coen brothers riff on the spy genre, Burn After Reading is filled with self-mythologizing drunks, unskilled opportunists, and borderline morons.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Trump appears to hold a maximalist view of his powers even if they are disputed or untested.—
Michael S. Schmidt,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2025
-
Obviously, the first two players are entrenched MLB stars, the third is an untested rookie thrust into action by the injury to Murphy.—
Tony Blengino,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Currently, a pastel purple bag is listed on eBay for $1,600, a pastel blue tote is priced at $1,400, a pastel green bag is going for $1,100, while one pastel pink tote was listed for $999.99.—
Charna Flam,
People.com,
9 Apr. 2025
-
Dark trees backlit by dawn and dusk light not only show loads of shadow detail but even retain their green color (when nearly all saturation is usually lost by LED TVs).—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Sephora automatically awards you the entry-level membership Insider status, which earns you one point back on all Sephora purchases.—
Nora Colomer,
FOXNews.com,
9 Apr. 2025
-
Earlier that afternoon, the Canadiens announced Ivan Demidov, the No. 5 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and considered by many to be the best prospect in the world, had signed his entry-level contract and would be coming to Montreal as soon as his immigration papers could be sorted out.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Would-be.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/would-be. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share