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.
The thought of retaining a longtime customer without having to discipline a possibly difficult long-term employee may prove motivating. Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 14 May 2026 The individual with the cavity would have exhibited signs of being in immense pain, possibly unable to chew properly, which could have led to malnutrition or a deeper infection of the jawbone, Kolobova said. Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 13 May 2026 Crunching glass or plastic, and possibly swallowing it, isn’t good for your teeth or gut. Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 13 May 2026 The problem, the researchers theorize, is that this kind of RLHF safety training couldn’t possibly cover every single type of ethically difficult situation an agentic AI might encounter. Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 13 May 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.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/possibly. Accessed 16 May. 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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