wannaben.adj.
/ˈwɒnəbiː/, U.S. /ˈwɑnəbi/, /ˈwɔnəbi/ slang (originally U.S.).
A. n.
A person who tries to emulate someone else, esp. a celebrity, in appearance and behaviour; a person who wants to belong to and tries to fit in with a particular group of people. Frequently depreciative.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > esteem > admiration > [noun] > admirer > who seeks to emulate celebrity or type
wannabe1976
the mind > will > wish or inclination > desire > aspiration or ambition > [noun] > ambitious person
ambitious?a1439
pursuiter1542
pursuer1587
would-be1607
climbera1616
ambitionist1625
consequent1654
sky-flyer1873
wannabe1976
1976 New York 26 July 43/3 At 38 she had 21 years of racket life behind her. Whereas Joe, that year, was still a Jimmy Cagney wannabe.
1981 Newsweek 6 July 82/2 The flood tide of surfers first started building in the early '60s... Before long the beaches were jammed with hordes of novices known as wannabees (as in, ‘I wanna be a surfer’).
1986 Washington Post 17 Jan. (Weekend section) 8/4 A morbid Madonna-wannabe fascinated with tabloid tales of bizarre deaths.
1987 Outlaw Biker June 16/2 Any real biker would not have backed down the way they did. They showed the whole world what a bunch of wannabees they really are.
1994 Internet World July 100/1 Venture capitalists, media moguls, and media-mogul wannabes are all maneuvering to build their consortiums and position themselves to ride the wave.
2010 S. Fry Fry Chrons. 95 Many at Cambridge will tell you that the drama world there is filled with ambitious, pretentious, bitchy wannabes.
2014 Daily Tel. 12 Mar. 19/2 The Great British Bake Off means many Mary Berry wannabes are whipping up Esterhazy Torte and macaroons before breakfast.
B. adj.
Desiring or aspiring to be a specified person or type of person; would-be. Also in extended use of a product designed to emulate or rival another. Sometimes depreciative.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > wish or inclination > desire > aspiration or ambition > [adjective] > ambitious > would be (thought)
would-be?c1400
would-have-been1744
would-be-thought1805
wannabe1986
1986 Billboard 21 June 17/2 ‘Wanna-be’ Freightliner owners have to register at the same stops.
1986 N.Y. Times 6 July i. 10/4 There are 1,500 Navajo Indians and the rest are Wannabee Indians.
1996 Rolling Stone 18 Apr. 61/1 There was little doubt that Bill Gates was intent on building a wannabe Mac for the vast PC market.
1998 Express & Echo (Exeter) (Nexis) 19 Oct. 16 Wannabe Whitneys and budding Bonos will have a chance to show off their singing talents at a special charity karaoke night.
2005 T. Hall Salaam Brick Lane i. 21 In their Eminem caps, Tommy Hilfiger jeans and Nikes, they looked like wannabe members of an LA gang.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2016; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.adj.1976