possibly

adverb

pos·​si·​bly ˈpä-sə-blē How to pronounce possibly (audio)
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 meG. 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.
And one that won’t release air could send you zooming to the surface and possibly to the hospital to be treated for decompression sickness. Steve Waters, Miami Herald, 5 July 2025 But in the overall U.S. sports media landscape, Sunday’s clash falls well behind the USA-Canada ice hockey clashes earlier this year, next year’s Winter Olympics, and possibly also any major tennis tourmanent final appearances by American singles players. Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 5 July 2025 The Rotary is now looking at other fundraising options — possibly shorter ones requiring a few hours of commitment — and hopes the art festival could return in the future. Zoey Thomas, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 July 2025 Another possible factor was a series of hurricanes that hit Cuba (its only wintering area) in the 1930s, possibly killing a significant portion of the entire population. arkansasonline.com, 5 July 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Possibly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/possibly. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on possibly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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