as in maybe
it is possible
perchance he is playing the devil's advocate, and the opinions he has expressed are not actually his own
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Recent Examples of perchance
Because any driver worth their salt would figure this out and likely after perchance one time falling into this bit of a roadway trap, would avoid going that way entirely.
—
Lance Eliot, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2021
To sleep, perchance to heal A report in the journal Nature Communications adds to the list of sleep’s benefits.
—Magnus Wennman, National Geographic, 17 June 2019
To sleep, perchance to dream of a giant plate of nachos.
—Gray Chapman, SELF, 27 Mar. 2019
Its members liked to call themselves kleagles, goblins and other names of darkling potency, to meet in solemn 'konklaves,' burn a fiery cross upon a distant hill and, perchance, frighten a Negro child outnumbered 100 to 1.
—The Washington Post, AL.com, 10 Apr. 2018
Ah, to sleep, perchance … to shrink your neural connections?
—Christopher Wanjek, Scientific American, 3 Feb. 2017
Lance Eliot, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2021
To sleep, perchance to heal A report in the journal Nature Communications adds to the list of sleep’s benefits.
—Magnus Wennman, National Geographic, 17 June 2019
To sleep, perchance to dream of a giant plate of nachos.
—Gray Chapman, SELF, 27 Mar. 2019
Its members liked to call themselves kleagles, goblins and other names of darkling potency, to meet in solemn 'konklaves,' burn a fiery cross upon a distant hill and, perchance, frighten a Negro child outnumbered 100 to 1.
—The Washington Post, AL.com, 10 Apr. 2018
Ah, to sleep, perchance … to shrink your neural connections?
—Christopher Wanjek, Scientific American, 3 Feb. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perchance
Adverb
-
Black History Month is sometimes treated as little more than an opportunity for corporate branding and, maybe, school assemblies; but in the face of such erasure, observing it this February feels radical.—
Adam Harris,
The Atlantic,
19 Feb. 2026
-
And if that doesn’t fuel you, maybe the FOMO will.—
Sophia Solano,
Washington Post,
19 Feb. 2026
Adverb
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The velocity, down from his average of nearly 96 mph before his latest elbow surgery, is something the Padres believe could possibly tick up slightly with some mechanical adjustments.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
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If the backpack was purchased new, Winter said police could possibly subpoena the retailer for a list of people who recently bought it in the greater Tucson, Arizona, area.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
His audience perhaps would prefer to replicate Ukraine’s energy and resolve, rather than Hungary’s.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
-
If true, this likely suggests a very tense intercept scenario, perhaps even shadowing or escorting away from Chinese airspace.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Feb. 2026
Adverb
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Thursday night probably won’t be one of those talked about on the Trojans’ tournament resume.—
Ryan Kartje,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
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Since the last Bluey episode (for now at least) aired, most families with young kids have probably watched the Bluey canon at least a dozen times through.—
Miranda Rake,
Parents,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Perchance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perchance. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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