Dictionary

possibly en · ADV

Pronunciation

• /ˈpɔs.ə.bli/ (Australia)
• /ˈpɑ.sɪ.bli/ (General-American, dialectal) of Canada
• /ˈpɒs.ə.bli/ (New-Zealand)
• /ˈpɒs.ɪ.bli/ (Northern-England)
• /ˈpɒs.ə.bli/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio
• /ˈpɒs.ɪ.bli/ (General-South-African)
• /ˈpɑ.sə.bli/ (General-American, dialectal) of Canada
• /ˈpɒs.ə.bli/ (Canada, dialectal) of the US

Etymology

Etymology tree English possible Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-Germanic *-ê Proto-Germanic *-līkê Proto-West Germanic *-līkē Old English -līċe Middle English -ly English -ly English possibly From possible + -ly.

Meanings

1. (modifying a clause or predicate) Perhaps; indicates that the proposition may be true (is not certainly false) regardless of any facts or circumstances known to, stated by or implied by the speaker.
   • It was possibly the costliest mistake in the organization's history.
   • Possibly, they will make gains in the midterm elections.
   • “Well, everything does point to either a major epeirogenic deformation, or possibly just a simple disruption of isostasy throughout the entire plate network.” 2015, N. K. Jemisin, The Fifth Season, Orbit (2016), page 274:
   • That, however, is something the ZOA has seemed unwilling to do, on the theory that Bannon is a self-declared, and possibly even sincere, supporter of the Jewish state. 2017 November 16, Bret Stephens, “Steve Bannon Is Bad for the Jews”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 10 Jul 2020:
   • This rare and possibly unique specimen must be conserved.
   • Near-synonyms: maybe, perhaps, mayhap, mayhaps, by chance, perchance, peradventure; conceivably
2. (modifying a verb) In the realm of possibility; indicates that the action may successfully be performed (is not impossible) regardless of any facts or circumstances known to, stated by or implied by the speaker that might limit the performance.
   • I couldn't possibly be there on time.
   • I'm much stronger than you, so you can't possibly win.
   • The police don't know him, and the information they have leads them to think he could possibly have murdered his wife.
   • I couldn't possibly cheat on my wife.
   • It seems unlikely, but, yes, they could possibly win even now.

Forms

Antonyms

certainly · indubitably · impossibly · undoubtably · no doubt · inevitably · undoubtedly

Relateds

contingently · incidentally

Synonyms

conceivably · by chance · mayhap · perchance · peradventure · perhaps · potentially · mayhaps · maybe

Translations (26)

de vielleicht (adverb indicating that an action may successfully be performed) · id mungkin saja (adverb indicating that an action may successfully be performed) · ca possiblement (adverb indicating that an action may successfully be performed) · de unmöglich (adverb indicating that an action may successfully be performed) · es para nada (adverb indicating that an action may successfully be performed) · fi ehkä (adverb indicating that a proposition may be true or false) · fr possiblement (adverb indicating that an action may successfully be performed) · la fortassis (adverb indicating that an action may successfully be performed) · de eventuell (adverb indicating that an action may successfully be performed) · da muligvis (adverb indicating that an action may successfully be performed) · la fortasse (adverb indicating that an action may successfully be performed) · pt possivelmente (adverb indicating that an action may successfully be performed) · es buenamente (adverb indicating that an action may successfully be performed) · ba ихтимал (adverb indicating that an action may successfully be performed) · bg възможно (adverb indicating that an action may successfully be performed) · fi mahdollisesti (adverb indicating that a proposition may be true or false) · es posiblemente (adverb indicating that an action may successfully be performed) · es buenamente (adverb indicating that a proposition may be true or false) · ba бәлки (adverb indicating that an action may successfully be performed) · de möglicherweise (adverb indicating that an action may successfully be performed) · eo eble (adverb indicating that an action may successfully be performed) · fi mahdollisesti (adverb indicating that an action may successfully be performed) · fi mitenkään (adverb indicating that an action may successfully be performed) · da umuligt (adverb indicating that an action may successfully be performed) · nl misschien (adverb indicating that a proposition may be true or false) · nl mogelijk (adverb indicating that an action may successfully be performed)