possibility

noun

pos·​si·​bil·​i·​ty ˌpä-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce possibility (audio)
plural possibilities
1
: the condition or fact of being possible
2
archaic : one's utmost power, capacity, or ability
3
: something that is possible
4
: potential or prospective value
usually used in plural
the house had great possibilities

Examples of possibility in a Sentence

There is a strong possibility that I will not be chosen for the job. Have you considered the possibility that you may be wrong? My first two ideas didn't work, but I thought of a third possibility. The future holds untold possibilities. His degree and job experience give him a wide range of possibilities for a career. a man of undetermined possibilities The old house might not look like much now, but it has possibilities.
Recent Examples on the Web There is a possibility of light snow or a rain-snow mix Friday night into Saturday morning. Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2024 Yay or nay on the tampon tax After years of prodding by Democrats, Republicans in at least one chamber have warmed up to the possibility of exempting menstrual products from the state sales tax. Brittany Carloni, The Indianapolis Star, 7 Mar. 2024 That also means that there’s a very real possibility that the Fed could defeat inflation without triggering a recession, an extremely rare feat known as a soft landing. Bryan Mena, CNN, 6 Mar. 2024 This is a possibility because lawmakers and Newsom passed the 2023-2024 budget using financial projections that turned out to be overly optimistic. Jenavieve Hatch, Sacramento Bee, 6 Mar. 2024 Many of the people attending the funeral on Friday had been prepared for the possibility of being detained. Alina Lobzina, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2024 Most of the testing was in preparation for the possibility of World War III, William Roy, who studies radioactive waste management at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, tells ABC News. Tara Wu, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Mar. 2024 Lyman is skeptical of the possibility of a Chernobyl-style meltdown. Nataliya Gumenyuk, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2024 Jahn said some research has found there is still a 10% to 20% possibility of avoiding an ice-free Arctic altogether if the global temperature stays below 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming on a 20- to 30-year mean. Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'possibility.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of possibility was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near possibility

Cite this Entry

“Possibility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/possibility. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

possibility

noun
pos·​si·​bil·​i·​ty ˌpäs-ə-ˈbil-ət-ē How to pronounce possibility (audio)
plural possibilities
1
: the state or fact of being possible
2
: something possible

More from Merriam-Webster on 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!