would-be

adjective
🔊/ˈwʊd biː/
🔊/ˈwʊd biː/
[only before noun]
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  1. used to describe somebody who is hoping to become the type of person mentioned(形容想要成为…的人)未来的
    • a would-be actor想要成为演员的人
    • advice for would-be parents对即将成为父母的人的忠告
    Oxford Collocations DictionaryWould-be is used with these nouns:
    • actor, actress
    • assassin
    • buyer
    See full entry