Meaning of Wannabe | Babel Free

Definitions

1. Someone who wishes to be someone or do something, but lacks the qualifications or talent; an overeager amateur; an aspirant.
   attributive, derogatory, informal, often
2. Someone who wishes to be part of, or to assimilate to, a majority group of which they are not a member.
   derogatory, informal

Equivalents

Examples

“Hollywood's restaurants are full of wannabe actors waiting to be discovered.”

“Most of the people Hiro knows are will-bes or wannabes.”

“Who the hell is that woman messing in my files? GET⟳ HER OUT OF HERE! I won't have⟳ my system messed up by some wannabe "expert" who'll be gone next week! Damn strangers who think⟳ they know⟳ it all but don't care about what we're really trying to achieve⟳ here.”

“He had the reputation of a wannabe hardman, riding his cousin's coattails.”

“Bigger, mongrelly and black, he was clearly a Doberman wannabe.”

CEFR level