variants
also wannabee
as in follower
a person who adopts the appearance or behavior of another especially in an obvious way
an entrepreneur who seems to have made his fortune mainly by giving how-to-get-rich lectures to entrepreneurial wannabes
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wannabe
The proceedings were more of a scrimmage on steroids than an actual game with the intent of giving incumbents, wannabes, and newbies the chance to make plays and get noticed by the new coaching staff.
—
Rich Thompson, Boston Herald, 13 Apr. 2024
Call it a banana republic run by dictator wannabes.
—Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2025
The Franchise could have an exercise in spot-the-Kevin-Feige for industry wannabes.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 30 Dec. 2024
The top secret agent of CONTROL is a role model for clumsy wannabe Steve Carell, though by the end, Agent 23 is the one throwing an explosive situation into total KAOS.
15.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 27 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for wannabe
Rich Thompson, Boston Herald, 13 Apr. 2024
Call it a banana republic run by dictator wannabes.
—Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2025
The Franchise could have an exercise in spot-the-Kevin-Feige for industry wannabes.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 30 Dec. 2024
The top secret agent of CONTROL is a role model for clumsy wannabe Steve Carell, though by the end, Agent 23 is the one throwing an explosive situation into total KAOS.
15.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 27 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for wannabe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wannabe
Noun
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On Instagram alone, both Life & Style and In Touch counted north of half a million followers in addition to robust websites.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
30 May 2025
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There, Rowling posts several times a day in support of gender fundamentalism to her 14 million-plus followers, frequently trading barbs with commenters—even fracturing her relationship with Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint—while toasting her own personal successes.—
Matt Craig,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
Noun
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Scientists have more often studied intelligence in other birds, such as parrots and crows, rather than in raptors.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
23 May 2025
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Now, hundreds of parrots live in the wild — but their future is fragile.—
Megan Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
16 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wannabe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wannabe. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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