possibility

noun

ˌpä-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce possibility (audio)
Definition of possibilitynext
1
as in potential
something that can develop or become actual there's a possibility for violence in the situation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in event
something that might happen winning the championship is a real possibility for us

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of possibility Saturday is here, the weekend is spread out before us like an open field filled to the brim with possibilities. — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026 The possibility of retaliation from Google was a frequent topic of discussion among the walkout’s organizing group. — Claire Stapleton, New Yorker, 18 July 2026 Australia’s experience already hints at the possibility of a positive migration. — Ravi Iyer, Time, 18 July 2026 One possibility is the Kirkuk-Baniyas pipeline that has been shut for more than two decades. — Bloomberg News, Boston Herald, 18 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for possibility
Recent Examples of Synonyms for possibility
  1. potential
  2. event
  3. prospect
  4. case
  5. potentiality
  6. contingency
Noun
  • Pimpton seems like the best candidate due to his potential on the field and charisma off it.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 July 2026
  • And though Chiles has been disappointing so far, there’s still some potential there, especially if Kelly figures out a way to lean into his strengths.
    — Antonio Morales, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Definition of potential
Noun
  • Marci McCarthy, second from the right, posted about the event on LinkedIn.
    — Caleb Groves, AJC.com, 23 July 2026
  • But in 2024 and 2025, divers captured underwater video of two such events in the Mexican Pacific Ocean and in the Gulf of California.
    — Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 23 July 2026
Definition of event
Noun
  • The King vs the Prince The clash of styles is one subplot but arguably not as exciting as the prospect of Messi coming up against Lamine Yamal.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 19 July 2026
  • That means an extended opportunity for Rushing, the club’s former top prospect.
    — Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 18 July 2026
Definition of prospect
Noun
  • While Comăneci's statement indicates Barbosu's case will proceed with CAS, the Olympian called on her fellow Romanians to contribute to the cause as a form of national pride and solidarity.
    — Caroline Price, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • In that case, Canada lost six points, while their coach, Bev Priestman, along with analyst Joseph Lombardi and assistant coach Jasmine Mander, were handed a one-year ban from football by FIFA.
    — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Definition of case
Noun
  • Work commenced on the record three months after Drewchin welcomed the arrival of her first child, Nova, a period in which she was consumed with the reality and potentialities of being a new parent.
    — Colin Joyce, Pitchfork, 20 July 2026
  • Takeovers are at once a timeless illustration of the volatility of crowds—perhaps especially adolescent crowds—and of the much newer potentialities unleashed by the internet a few decades ago.
    — Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026
Definition of potentiality
Noun
  • Amazon landed Stillwater in a bidding war in spring 2025 with a straight-to-series order, which, since it was based on a pitch, had contingencies attached in the form of delivering a pilot script and a first-season bible.
    — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 22 July 2026
  • For the first time, a global sports governing body embedded hydration into the rules of the game—not as a contingency for extreme weather but as a standard element of play.
    — Forbes.com, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of contingency

Browse Nearby Words

possibilities
possibility
possible
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Possibility.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/possibility. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on possibility

Nglish: Translation of possibility for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about possibility

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
chain-question-mark
Missing Link Quiz July 2026 Five seconds to figure out the word that fits bot...
See All