would-be

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.

The 36 stories of Trump Plaza were lined with balconies, offering would-be residents spectacular views across the Upper East Side.

From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026

All the affected would-be tenants told the BBC they felt pressured to pay more than they could afford.

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

The race to automate an ever wider range of workplace tasks is creating an army of inside would-be hackers, with cybercriminals hijacking companies’ internal artificial-intelligence agents to steal sensitive business data.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026

Proponents say return hubs -- which would serve either as the final destination or as transfer centres for those expelled -- could facilitate repatriations and act as a deterrent for would-be irregular migrants.

From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026

Zaida Puente, of course, had her picture in all the newspapers the next day, posing in her plum moirl gown like a would-be queen.

From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García