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

The grunter is now competing with the Bloomfield Cod for food and potentially eating its eggs and young. —Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 27 Dec. 2025

The powerful microwave can potentially, and very quickly, turn the pretty pink color to gray and cook all the juiciness right out of your prime rib. —Patricia S York, Southern Living, 26 Dec. 2025

Those non-native species can introduce potentially fatal diseases into the ecosystem, killing off other frogs, or even snakes and salamanders. —Laura Schulte, jsonline.com, 26 Dec. 2025

In the meantime, here's what to know about the launch from neighboring California, as well as when and where to potentially see the rocket in Arizona. —Eric Lagatta, AZCentral.com, 26 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for potentially

• essentially
• confidentially
• exponentially
• inferentially
• experientially