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

Parents like Smith feel comfortable taking their young children to play on the playground for perhaps the first time ever. — Charlotte Observer, 1 Aug. 2026

In the meantime, David has been declared dead, his little brother is now his big brother, and — perhaps weirdest of all — music videos are now a very big thing on MTV. — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 1 Aug. 2026

But perhaps the biggest test for Moore will be navigating the management of this year's elections without denting the bipartisan tone that typically defines the NGA. — ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026

The person who has been somewhere for twenty years gets treated like aging equipment, still functional perhaps, but carrying a lower book value than the newer model that just walked in from a competitor. — Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 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