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

What’s at stake for them is the chance to leave their own mark on the world in whatever time they’ve got left (possibly forever). —Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026

That size makes the material small enough to be moved by vehicle or possibly even by hand. —Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 9 Mar. 2026

This week offers a weather rollercoaster that includes highs in the 80s, the potential for strong storms, followed by lows possibly dropping into the 40s. —Newsroom Meteorologist, Austin American Statesman, 9 Mar. 2026

Placing a person possibly under investigation as attorney general and further compensating him appears to be a blantant attempt to end the investigation. —Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 9 Mar. 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