wannabe

noun

wan·​na·​be ˈwä-nə-ˌbē How to pronounce wannabe (audio)
variants or less commonly wannabee
1
: a person who wants or aspires to be someone or something else or who tries to look or act like someone else
2
: something (such as a company, city, or product) intended to rival another of its kind that has been successful
especially : one for which hopes have failed or are likely to fail

Examples of wannabe in a Sentence

an entrepreneur who seems to have made his fortune mainly by giving how-to-get-rich lectures to entrepreneurial wannabes
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The musical grinds to a halt whenever Norma is offstage and a chorus of showbiz wannabes, clad in cargo pants and hoodies, scavenge for their next meal ticket. Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 21 Oct. 2024 Despite the low bar, voters usually see through wannabes who won’t cut it, said Pat Royal, spokesman for the sheriffs’ group. Bill Laytner, Detroit Free Press, 31 Oct. 2024 Traveling together through middle America, the constantly-bickering duo induct a military wannabe, a mentally unstable mom, and a mysterious foreign hitchhiker into their cult. Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 25 Oct. 2024 She’s judged wannabes on American Idol; she’s headlined the Super Bowl halftime show; she’s celebrated a king’s coronation. Maura Johnston, Rolling Stone, 20 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for wannabe 

Word History

Etymology

from the phrase want to be

First Known Use

1976, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wannabe was in 1976

Dictionary Entries Near wannabe

Cite this Entry

“Wannabe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wannabe. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

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