wannabe

But its strangeness also seems appropriate, considering the epic oddity of the South African’s ascension from mistrusted Silicon Valley wannabe to ever-confident cheerleader for space dreams and electric vehicles.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026

You don’t have to scroll far on social media to find travel hacks from influencers, wannabe influencers, travel agents, frequent fliers and people trying to sell you something.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

Soon after, wannabe authoritarians attack the comedians, essayists, playwrights and poets.

From Salon ● Jul. 6, 2026

Three undercover investigators posing as wannabe lorry drivers turned up for medical tests, booked online and scheduled for the same time at three different locations across the UK in 2019.

From BBC ● Jun. 19, 2026

“Well,” said Zeke, who felt like this was an awful lot of pressure on one measly apology to a lying, bullying, wannabe supervillain, “I guess so.”

From "Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody" by Patrick Ness

He now leads New York, “and there are wannabes all over the country,” she says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026

Others, like the Elvis impersonators roaming the streets, were wannabes, eager to tap into the mass tort gold mine.

From Slate ● Jan. 13, 2026

Local clubs had not been geared up for the sudden rush of Jonny Wilkinson wannabes that descended on them after his drop-kick landed World Cup glory.

From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2025

In July, Brooklyn’s Bell House welcomed a sold-out crowd to see a live reading of an episode of Bravo’s 2012 one-hit-wonder show, “Gallery Girls,” about a group of privileged, post-grad art world wannabes.

From Salon ● Aug. 2, 2025

Talent contests and megalomaniac record producers have always paired ingenue wannabes with experienced songwriters, for instance, cashing in quickly on success before the public's appetite for novelty fades.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall