potentially

adverb

po·​ten·​tial·​ly pə-ˈten(t)-sh(ə-)lē 

: in a potential or possible state or condition

—used to describe the possible results or effects of something

a potentially dangerous situation [=a situation that has the potential to be or become dangerous]

a potentially useful feature

By creating a personal home page, anyone can publish material that potentially can be read by millions of people worldwide.

—Peter H. Lewis

The phenomenon seemed significant for both the science of immunology and, potentially, for medicine.

—Daniel J. Kevles

Potentially adding to the cost of the bail-out is the prevailing FDIC notion that some banks are simply too big to fail.

—L. J. Davis

The result, they say, is that children are less compelled to play outside, potentially stunting emotional and physical development and exacerbating a nationwide epidemic of childhood obesity.

—Sumathi Reddy

Examples of potentially in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Those supporters were left unchallenged by stewards, despite FIFA winning a court hearing enabling them to lawfully prohibit people showing the lion-and-sun flags on the grounds of them carrying a political message and potentially causing disturbances. —Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 16 June 2026

Different genes for different cytokines, growth factors or other proteins could be swapped in to target specific diseases of the ocular surface, potentially extending the approach beyond corneal wounds to chronic inflammatory conditions. —Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 16 June 2026

Another investigation is related to Siebel Newsom’s taxes, and could potentially ensnare current staff members, the source said. —Haley Parsley, Sacbee.com, 16 June 2026

South Korea’s Serious Accidents Punishment Act holds executives legally accountable for fatal workplace accidents, creating additional incentives for companies to automate potentially hazardous tasks. —Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for potentially

• essentially
• circumferentially
• experientially
• confidentially
• exponentially
• inferentially