might-have-been

Aksyonov has great fun inventing a culturally pureed lexicon for his might-have-been cosmopolitan Russians.

No poorest man on earth would change places with this man-that-might-have-been, for his time draws nigh and his end is perdition.

His dreams were ended, the "might-have-been" would never be, but he knew that there was peace in that little breast at last.

She ceased to regret that snug might-have-been, little, grocery business in a country town.

It has its pathos, yet leaves no regrets behind, for there is no might-have-been which death had thwarted.

"I'll walk anywhere except along the road-to-what-might-have-been," I said, and my voice was quite steady.