perhaps

American  

[per-haps] / pərˈhæps /

adverb

1. maybe; possibly.

   Perhaps the package will arrive today.

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perhaps British  

/ pəˈhæps, præps /

adverb

1. 1. possibly; maybe

   2. ( as sentence modifier )

      he'll arrive tomorrow, perhaps

      perhaps you'll see him tomorrow

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1. it may happen, be so, etc; maybe

Etymology

Origin of perhaps

First recorded in 1520–30; earlier perhappes, perhapis “by haps”; equivalent to per + hap ¹ + -s ¹

Compare meaning

How does perhaps compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• perhaps vs. maybe

Explanation

Perhaps means about the same thing as maybe: things that perhaps could happen might happen, or they might not. When someone asks if you want to do something and you say "Perhaps" — you haven't committed. It's another way of saying "I don't know" or "It's possible. Who knows?" People use perhaps when talking about things they aren't sure about, or things they don't want to answer in a decisive way. When a friend says, "Perhaps we'll go to that movie," don't count on it. He's keeping his options open.

Example Sentences

Perhaps the best way to tell whether the jobs report is a good one is by how many industries are hiring.

From MarketWatch • May 7, 2026

Perhaps Lauren Sánchez Bezos, what with her pilot’s license and all, could be a saving grace?

From Salon • May 6, 2026

Perhaps the writer was eager for firsthand experience with betting apps and asked his editors to find a spiritual workaround.

From Slate • May 5, 2026

Perhaps most well-known in the looksmaxxing world is the controversial social-media influencer Braden Peters.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026

Perhaps they aren’t that bad, but they do smell awful when they’re cooked and it takes a lot of sugar to make high-bush cranberry jelly worth eating.

From "Woodsong" by Gary Paulsen