possibly

adverb

pos·​si·​bly ˈpä-sə-blē How to pronounce possibly (audio)
Synonyms of possiblynext
1
: in a possible manner : by any possibility
that's all she could possibly do
2
: by merest chance : perhaps
possibly he will recover
3
: it is possible or imaginable : conceivably
… a political libel which may possibly damage me.G. B. Shaw

Examples of possibly in a Sentence

he may possibly recover after such a serious mistake, but it doesn't seem likely
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Some of their goals from throw-ins, with oppositions backing off in anticipation and possibly fear of one of Pinnock’s long throws, have also come from quick restarts and delivering quality crosses into the box. Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026 Inflation is set to rise further in coming months, possibly to 4%, as higher energy prices impact household bills. ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026 Makris and his team theorized that rain sounds underwater might produce large enough vibrations to jostle the statoliths and possibly spur germination in rice seeds. K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 22 Apr. 2026 Its lawyers, however, stated in internal memos obtained by the New York Times that nonresident foreign nationals could have used third-party payment platforms to get around its safeguards and make donations — possibly contradicting the firm’s statements to Congress. Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 22 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for possibly

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of possibly was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Possibly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/possibly. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

possibly

adverb
pos·​si·​bly ˈpäs-ə-blē How to pronounce possibly (audio)
1
: by possible means : by any possibility
that cannot possibly be true
2
: perhaps
may possibly recover

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