maybe

American  

[mey-bee] / ˈmeɪ bi /

adverb

1. perhaps; possibly.

   Maybe I'll go too.

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noun

1. a possibility or uncertainty.

maybe British  

/ ˈmeɪˌbiː /

adverb

1. 1. perhaps

   2. ( as sentence modifier )

      maybe I'll come tomorrow

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1. possibly; neither yes nor no

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:

• perhaps vs. maybe

Example Sentences

Had she known the challenges ahead, she might have been better off choosing rock-climbing gear, or maybe a hazmat suit.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

"The American closed-proprietary models are probably better, but maybe just not by that much," says Selina Xu.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

Or maybe Ford was more clear-eyed than that.

From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026

He also attributed the tepid response in oil prices to an expectation of “a last-minute postponement, maybe not a deal, but a postponement allowing the two sides to continue talking.”

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

She doesn’t look angry about it, but rather curious, and maybe a bit disappointed.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam