wannabe

[ won-uh-bee, waw-nuh‑ ]

noun

, Informal.

, plural wan·na·bes.

1. one who aspires, often vainly, to emulate another's success or attain eminence in some area.

wannabe

/ ˈwɒnəˌbiː /

noun

1. informal.
   1. a person who desires to be, or be like, someone or something else

      a group of Marilyn Monroe wannabes

   2. ( as modifier )

      a wannabe film star

Word History and Origins

Origin of wannabe¹

First recorded in 1980–85; derivative of (I) wanna be…

Word History and Origins

Origin of wannabe¹

C20: phonetic shortening of want to be

Example Sentences

In a retirement speech in September 2023, Milley — who worries about being recalled to active duty and court-martialed under a new Trump administration, according to Woodward’s latest book, “War” — offered an indirect commentary widely presumed to refer to the former president: “We don’t take an oath to a king or a queen, to a tyrant or dictator, or wannabe dictator.”

From Los Angeles Times

Grant chooses goofy professor over, say, conflicted wannabe monk, and offers, if nothing else, a reminder that a boyish smile and twinkling blue eyes are simply quirks of genetics rather than reflections of humanity.

From Los Angeles Times

Training schools have been set up for wannabe Aussie punters, including Bennett’s own Gridiron Company, and ProKick Australia, which launched in 2007.

From BBC

A wannabe authoritarian who says he’ll deploy the military against “the enemy from within,” a term he uses for political opponents.

From Los Angeles Times

“The United States of America is not a vessel for the schemes of wannabe dictators. The United States of America is the greatest idea humanity ever devised.”

From Salon

Related Words

• applicant
• candidate
• contestant