perhaps

1 of 2

adverb

per·​haps pər-ˈhaps How to pronounce perhaps (audio)
ˈpraps
Synonyms of perhapsnext
: possibly but not certainly : maybe

perhaps

2 of 2

noun

: something open to doubt or conjecture

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
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Adverb
Gore tosses a gem Mackenzie Gore has been as good — perhaps even better — as advertised this season and on Wednesday Gore didn’t allow a hit until the fifth inning, a single to former Rangers’ catcher Mitch Garver. Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2026 The jury award was a spur to understand a life recognizably shaped by social-media algorithms, in ways that were perhaps near-impossible to resist, as a serious injury to an entire generation. Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 9 Apr. 2026 The Brunson–Towns pairing is the most important relationship at Madison Square Garden, and perhaps the most consequential one in a wide-open Eastern Conference race. Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 9 Apr. 2026 Cloud battled migraine headaches due to a previous injury, which Levinson suggests was partly to blame — and perhaps an easy excuse — for his dependence on painkillers. Shirley Halperin, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for perhaps

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of perhaps was circa 1520

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Perhaps.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perhaps. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.

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

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