perhaps

1 of 2

adverb

per·​haps pər-ˈhaps 

ˈpraps

: possibly but not certainly : maybe

perhaps

2 of 2

noun

: something open to doubt or conjecture

Synonyms of perhaps

Adverb

• maybe
• possibly
• probably

Examples of perhaps in a Sentence

Adverb

perhaps we will not have to take this exam, but I doubt it

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

Or perhaps given the hotel’s thespian heritage, on stage and back stage. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Apr. 2026

The College Football Playoff expansion conversation figures to heat up sooner than later, perhaps more so for Georgia fans. —Mike Griffith, AJC.com, 2 Apr. 2026

If SpaceX somehow gets the money for all this — perhaps with a little help from its forthcoming IPO — it would quickly be overwhelmed by the sheer number of space launches needed to pull this off. —Frank Landymore, Futurism, 2 Apr. 2026

SpaceX, which maintains a large presence in Southern California’s burgeoning aerospace sector, is readying an initial public offering possibly for this summer that is expected to be the largest in history, perhaps raising as much as $75 billion. —Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

per + hap

First Known Use

Adverb

circa 1520, in the meaning defined above

Noun

circa 1643, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for perhaps

• bitmaps
• bootstraps
• collapse
• elapse
• mishaps
• prolapse
• relapse
• satraps
• wiretaps
• apps
• caps
• chaps

Kids Definition

perhaps

adverb

per·​haps

pər-ˈ(h)aps, 

ˈpraps

: possibly but not certainly

Etymology

Adverb

from per (preposition) "by, according to" and haps, plural of hap "chance, chance occurrence" — related to happen, happy, mishap