would-be

adjective

Definition of would-benext
as in inexperienced

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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 Ongoing uncertainty about the situation in Lebanon and fears of a new escalation have dissuaded many would-be pet owners from adopting, but some of Hamza's dogs have found new homes. — ABC News, 3 July 2026 There are any number of leadership books purporting to direct would-be career professionals on how to manage, in so many different ways, including the leadership of a workforce, which is one of the stickier parts of being a leader, in general. — John Werner, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026 Speaking of which is the broader point of connectivity, including the prospect of the pedestrian bridge across Front Street from the would-be multi-level parking garage into the heart of Current Landing. — Kansas City Star, 30 June 2026 Multiple acts from the would-be parade said they were given clearance by the city to perform in the area, like the MMU Alumni Band from Pennsylvania and the Ballet Folkloricos Mosaicos from Indianna, representing Mexico. — Kaitlyn McCormick, USA Today, 3 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for would-be
Recent Examples of Synonyms for would-be
  1. inexperienced
  2. new
  3. untried
  4. amateur
  5. unseasoned
  6. beginning
  7. unskilled
  8. untested
Adjective
  • Over the same period, entry-level head count at the high-intensity firms rose 12%, contradicting predictions and fears that young or inexperienced workers would be most at risk of losing their jobs to AI.
    — Rachel Barber, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • Immer and Lois work with land stewards to find projects that make sense for eager but often inexperienced volunteers.
    — Pedro Moura, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of inexperienced
Adjective
  • Buckhead Heritage, a historic preservation organization, will make a historic building its new headquarters after reaching an agreement with Atlanta Public Schools.
    — Carson Bonner, AJC.com, 7 July 2026
  • The airlines haven’t yet announced what their new, combined frequent flyer program will look like, however.
    — Zach Wichter, USA Today, 7 July 2026
Definition of new
Adjective
  • Still, all but Verse (7 ½ sacks last year) are untried.
    — Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 June 2026
  • The audacity of such a mission, wrapping so many untried things into a single flight, meant Artemis III would not have launched for at least two more years, and probably more like three, four, or more.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 14 Mar. 2026
Definition of untried
Adjective
  • The award is handed out to the most outstanding amateur baseball player in the nation.
    — Hunter DeLauder, AJC.com, 30 June 2026
  • Now in its eighteenth year, the international competition celebrates the skill and imagination of amateur and professional astrophotographers from across the world.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of amateur
Adjective
  • But while viewers know what’s up from The Fall’s start, Northern Ireland’s unseasoned law enforcement officials haven’t a clue who’s behind the body count.
    — Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026
  • Founders who think high spending on technology is a badge of success recall those from the dot-com era, when unseasoned executives ignored business basics, many even arguing that profits were no longer important.
    — Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
Definition of unseasoned
Adjective
  • After his beginning years in the cafe, Trygar has since moved to the maintenance department and has been responsible for taking care some of Kennywood's iconic rides like the Racer, the Log Jammer, and the Merry Go Round.
    — Mike Darnay, CBS News, 7 May 2026
  • The band joins Yellowcard for the Up Up Down Down Tour, a 27-date spring outing with Plain White T’s beginning May 6 in Atlanta and concluding June 20 in Springfield, Massachusetts.
    — Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 21 Feb. 2026
Definition of beginning
Adjective
  • According to Grant, factors like operational downtime, the productivity drag of unskilled workers and post-incident audits and reporting requirements can run four to eight times higher than the direct costs.
    — Sentry Insurance, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
  • Road accidents kill thousands in Bangladesh every year, due to a combination of poor road conditions, unskilled driving and inadequate oversight of traffic rules.
    — Adam England, PEOPLE, 25 May 2026
Definition of unskilled
Adjective
  • As cars get smarter, an untested part from a catalog becomes a liability no automaker wants to carry.
    — Sarwant Singh, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • But Burnham’s policies in many areas are unknown and untested.
    — Jill Lawless, Fortune, 23 June 2026
Definition of untested

Browse Nearby Words

worthy
would-be
wound
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Cite this Entry

“Would-be.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/would-be. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of would-be for Spanish Speakers

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