wannabee
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. An ambitious and aspiring young person; someone who desires and tries to be like a famous or successful person: A "wannabee" (also spelled "wannabe") is a person, often young, who imitates the appearance, behavior, or lifestyle of a celebrity or someone they admire, usually with the strong desire to achieve similar fame or status. The term often carries a slightly negative or dismissive connotation, implying a lack of originality or a failure to achieve the desired status.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- The club was full of rock star wannabees trying to get noticed.
- He's just another tech entrepreneur wannabee with a half-formed idea.
- The audience was full of Madonna wannabees.
Advanced Usage
- The term is frequently used in a hyphenated form as a modifier before a noun to describe someone who aspires to be a particular thing.
- She was surrounded by wannabe actors and models. (Cô ấy bị bao quanh bởi những diễn viên và người mẫu "wannabe".)
- It can be used more broadly, not just for celebrities, but for anyone trying to be part of a specific group or achieve a specific identity they are not yet part of.
- The tough-guy wannabees at school often got into trouble. (Những kẻ muốn tỏ ra cứng rắn ở trường thường gặp rắc rối.)
Variants and Related Words
- Wannabe (n): The more common modern spelling, identical in meaning to "wannabee".
- Aspirant (n): A more formal and neutral term for someone who has ambitions to achieve something.
- Hopeful (n): A person who hopes or aspires to succeed, especially in a particular field (e.g., ).
Synonyms
- Aspirer
- Would-be
- Imitator
- Copycat (though this implies direct imitation, not necessarily ambition)
Related Idioms and Phrases
- To be a [someone] wannabe: A common phrase structure to specify the object of admiration or aspiration.
- He's a total Elon Musk wannabe. (Anh ta hoàn toàn là một kẻ muốn trở thành Elon Musk.)
Noun
- an ambitious and aspiring young person
- a lofty aspirant
- two executive hopefuls joined the firm
- the audience was full of Madonna wannabes