possibly

adverb

pos·​si·​bly ˈpä-sə-blē 

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

Synonyms of possibly

• maybe
• perhaps
• probably

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

But the texts of these new laws—which are heavily predicated on a kidfluencer’s willingness to sue his or her own parents—are at turns vague, confounding, and possibly toothless. —Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2026

Cassettes tapes have long been cheap and abundant at thrift stores, though possibly barely playable due to poor storage or handling. —Shirl Leigh april 06, New Atlas, 6 Apr. 2026

San Diego County’s long stretch of unseasonably warm, dry weather will last until Friday, when a modest storm is expected to begin dropping about a quarter-inch of precipitation in many areas, possibly triggering lightning on Saturday, the National Weather Service says. —Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2026

Rain will possibly continue through the weekend, according to the National Weather Service. —Hector Amezcua, Sacbee.com, 6 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing possibly

• where can (someone) (possibly) be

Rhymes for possibly

• impossibly

Kids Definition

possibly

adverb

pos·​si·​bly ˈpäs-ə-blē 

1

: by possible means : by any possibility

that cannot possibly be true

2

: perhaps

may possibly recover