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

Indeed, there would be no reason to stop anywhere short of perhaps $10 million or so. — Bradley Gitz, Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2026

But perhaps the most stunning aspect of the crackup was how hard senior Democrats had worked to avoid it. — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 2 Nov. 2026

But was there other movement, a slight rocking motion, perhaps? — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2026

Zook Cabins The interior decor is light and clean, bringing to mind a small studio apartment or perhaps a vacation chalet more than a rustic cabin. — New Atlas, 1 Nov. 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