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

While both did not hit the island, the strike raised concerns that Iran’s missile range is potentially far greater than was previously thought, given Diego Garcia is well over 2,000 miles away from Iran. —Zach Lachance, The Washington Examiner, 23 Mar. 2026

Each glittering point of starlight contains its own stellar system, with planets, moons, and potentially even life. —Big Think, 23 Mar. 2026

At the time, California had begun to crack down on the rapid and potentially fraudulent growth in the hospice industry, particularly in Los Angeles County. —Jason Henry, Daily News, 22 Mar. 2026

The war with Iran is poised to enter a new and potentially more dangerous phase. —NBC news, 22 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for potentially

• essentially
• confidentially
• exponentially
• inferentially
• experientially