possibility
noun
pos·si·bil·i·ty
ˌpä-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē 
plural possibilities
1
: the condition or fact of being possible
There is a strong/real/remote/faint possibility that I'll get the job.
—usually used with ofthe possibility of rain today
It is not outside the range/realm of possibility that we'll win.
2
archaic
: one's utmost power, capacity, or ability
3
: something that is possible
Rain is a possibility today.
The future holds untold possibilities.
We exhausted all the possibilities. [=we did everything we could think of]
4
: potential or prospective value
—usually used in plural
the house had great possibilities
Examples of possibility in a Sentence
There is a strong possibility that I will not be chosen for the job.
Have you considered the possibility that you may be wrong?
My first two ideas didn't work, but I thought of a third possibility.
The future holds untold possibilities.
His degree and job experience give him a wide range of possibilities for a career.
a man of undetermined possibilities
The old house might not look like much now, but it has possibilities.
Recent Examples on the Web
The researchers describe the work as a proof of concept that opens the possibility of harnessing the ocular microbiome to treat eye diseases, rather than a finished clinical therapy.
—
Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 16 June 2026
The extreme heat of a toaster oven has a high possibility of starting fires or causing burns if left on and forgotten.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026
What begins as a survival nightmare slowly transforms into something far more disturbing as fractured memories, conflicting realities, and hidden truths force Ann to confront the possibility that the greatest threat may not be lurking in the woods at all, but buried deep within her own psyche.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 15 June 2026
Quarks come in colors, too — the three possibilities are dubbed red, green, and blue — and antiquarks have anticolors, called anti-red, anti-green, and anti-blue.
—Quanta Magazine, 15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for possibility
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Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 16 June 2026
The extreme heat of a toaster oven has a high possibility of starting fires or causing burns if left on and forgotten.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026
What begins as a survival nightmare slowly transforms into something far more disturbing as fractured memories, conflicting realities, and hidden truths force Ann to confront the possibility that the greatest threat may not be lurking in the woods at all, but buried deep within her own psyche.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 15 June 2026
Quarks come in colors, too — the three possibilities are dubbed red, green, and blue — and antiquarks have anticolors, called anti-red, anti-green, and anti-blue.
—Quanta Magazine, 15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for possibility
Cite this Entry
“Possibility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/possibility. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
possibility
noun
pos·si·bil·i·ty
ˌpäs-ə-ˈbil-ət-ē
plural possibilities
1
: the state or fact of being possible
2
: something possible
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