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Definitions

wannabe

[won-uh-bee, waw-nuh‑] / ˈwɒn əˌbi, ˈwɔ nə‑ /




NOUN
aspirer
Synonyms


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.

Cue Mr. Carr, his wannabe censor at the FCC.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

Characters are caricatures, be it a villain that feels plucked from a cartoon western, complete with a purring raccoon for a sidekick, to a greedy wannabe politician of a bank manager.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2026

Unless an unexpected candidate decides to take the plunge, and goodness knows what could happen these days, a change at the top doesn't seem likely to be prompted by the wannabe contenders.

From BBC • Feb. 7, 2026

In Hollywood, there’s an old joke among wannabe actors scraping by doing odd jobs between auditions: “Well, right now I’m parking cars, but what I really want to do is direct!”

From Salon • Jan. 1, 2026

“What kind of helpful information would be in books about a wannabe Chosen One who clams up when it’s time to stop the bad guy?”

From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas