possibly

adverb

pos·​si·​bly ˈpä-sə-blē How to pronounce possibly (audio)
1
: in a possible manner : by any possibility
that's all she could possibly do
2
: by merest chance : perhaps
possibly he will recover
3
: it is possible or imaginable : conceivably
a political libel which may possibly damage meG. B. Shaw

Examples of possibly in a Sentence

he may possibly recover after such a serious mistake, but it doesn't seem likely
Recent Examples on the Web Who could possibly embody the essence of such an influential and impactful man as Marley? Melissa Noel, Essence, 9 Mar. 2024 While a commemorative gathering could possibly be held in his honor in the future, nothing is scheduled at the moment. Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2024 By the end of the album, Grande comes as close as anyone possibly can to answering her question from the start of the album. Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 8 Mar. 2024 An initial report released in December 2021 stated that there were 12 instances of people possibly voting out of state and one case in which a vote may have been cast by a dead person. Cody Copeland, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Mar. 2024 Rain likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 1 a.m., then rain between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m., then rain and possibly a thunderstorm after 4 a.m. Low around 53. Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 8 Mar. 2024 Of course, the lineup couldn’t possibly be constant. Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 The best bar in the place, and possibly in the world on Oscar night, is backstage in the Rolex Green Room. Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2024 The alleged crime of a man possibly holding a small handgun while walking on the Venetian Causeway was what led to a domino of events that culminated in Stringer shooting Bolanos during a scuffle. Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'possibly.' 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 possibly was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near possibly

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

possibly

adverb
pos·​si·​bly ˈpäs-ə-blē How to pronounce possibly (audio)
1
: by possible means : by any possibility
that cannot possibly be true
2
: perhaps
may possibly recover

More from Merriam-Webster on possibly

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