possibly

adverb

pos·​si·​bly ˈpä-sə-blē 

1

: in a possible manner : by any possibility

that's all she could possibly do

2

: by merest chance : perhaps

possibly he will recover

3

: it is possible or imaginable : conceivably

… a political libel which may possibly damage me.

—G. B. Shaw

Synonyms of possibly

• maybe
• perhaps
• probably

Examples of possibly in a Sentence

he may possibly recover after such a serious mistake, but it doesn't seem likely

Recent Examples on the Web

That further protects mule deer as well as possibly protecting people. —Ted Williams, Denver Post, 24 Feb. 2026

And the cost of tariffs has reduced many companies’ profits, possibly leading them to cut back on hiring. —Matt Ott, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026

Snowfall rates have reached 2 to 3 inches per hour this morning in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts, with total storm accumulations expected to reach 20 to 30 inches, and isolated reports possibly exceeding 30 inches. —Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 23 Feb. 2026

There’s always possibly some anniversaries to celebrate, and big legacy projects that might want to be celebrated on the show. —Paul Grein, Billboard, 23 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing possibly

• where can (someone) (possibly) be

Rhymes for possibly

• impossibly

Kids Definition

possibly

adverb

pos·​si·​bly ˈpäs-ə-blē 

1

: by possible means : by any possibility

that cannot possibly be true

2

: perhaps

may possibly recover