1911 J. C. Lincoln xv. 238 One of 'em's a used-to-be, and the other's a never-was.
1977 2 Oct. 48/1 Having or keeping a sense of significance is a problem for those of us whom Archie Bunker once described as ‘has-beens and never-wases’.
1998 W. Coleman 119 Better an almost-was..than a never-was.