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 Cooper was a disruptive force during 11-on-11 work, producing two would-be sacks and a handful of tackles. — Omar Kelly august 25, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026 The likes of Dell, Acer, Asus, and Lenovo began hopping on the Wildcat Lake train fairly quickly, announcing would-be Neo competitors. — ArsTechnica, 24 Aug. 2026 The treasury secretary, however, stopped short of specifically pointing the finger at any of Iran’s would-be-accomplices. — Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 24 Aug. 2026 But as The Hechinger Report’s Colleen Connolly reports, there’s a major bottleneck for would-be nurse practitioners. — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 24 Aug. 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
  • Anna will also be strong on offense and young, inexperienced defense.
    — Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Aug. 2026
  • And Fins have a secondary so inexperienced the guys might need asbestos uniforms against the expected torching.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of inexperienced
Adjective
  • Now is a great time to pick up a new pair of sneakers for fall while prices are low.
    — Anna Traver, InStyle, 1 Sep. 2026
  • With the team entering a new era with a new coaching staff, Baltimore made some moves that were a bit atypical on roster cutdown day.
    — Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 1 Sep. 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
  • In an early study, researchers collected about five hours of primitive tennis movements from amateur players using a compact motion-capture setup.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 24 Aug. 2026
  • In the 1850s, while living in Seneca Falls, New York, amateur scientist Eunice Newton Foote did a series of experiments that put different substances, including carbon dioxide and moist air, inside glass cylinders and left them in the sun.
    — Peter Prengaman, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of amateur
Adjective
  • The comedian is partnering with Knorr to joke about unseasoned chicken in a series of social videos.
    — Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 6 Aug. 2026
  • And unlike most onigiri, typically made with unseasoned rice, Choe is using both white and purple sushi rice.
    — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 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
  • Persona did not see economic viability in the unskilled labor approach, Radford says.
    — Evan Ackerman, IEEE Spectrum, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The jobs were broken down into around 200 management roles, 67 office or clerical roles, 67 professional, 534 skilled and 133 unskilled.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of unskilled
Adjective
  • Concerns about quarterback Jalen Hurts, untested offensive coordinator Sean Mannion and the trade of a star wideout have turned all the attention on the Eagles’ offense in 2026.
    — NBC Sports, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2026
  • So there’s a lot of change happening there that’s as of yet untested.
    — Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 26 Aug. 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 2 Sep. 2026.

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