maybe
Americanadverb
noun
adverb
Etymology
Origin of maybe
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English may be, short for it may be
Compare meaning
How does maybe compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
When you say maybe, you're not completely sure about your answer. If you say you'll maybe study at the library tonight, it is possible that you'll go there. Maybe is a shortened version of the Middle English phrase, "it may be." People use it when they're not sure about something — or they aren't ready to give their answer. Sometimes other things have to happen — or not happen — before you can be sure. For example, because it might rain tomorrow, you aren't sure there will be a baseball game. In the meantime, you answer, "Maybe," if someone asks if you are going to the game.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She stays with her partner or travels for at least a month, maybe two, in order to comply with the 30-day minimum stay rule.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026
I don’t really love sports bars anyway, but if it’s a big World Series game maybe I’d go somewhere in Koreatown that’s more sporty to watch.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
Sometimes someone says something that maybe you shouldn't say at that certain time, but it doesn't distract us from what we are creating here and the environment and spirit within the group.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
If everything feels fake, maybe we’re better off getting outside and experiencing something real for a minute.
From Salon ● Oct. 15, 2026
She was maybe the meanest living woman in Indiana now that Miss Myrt was no more.
From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
