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Synonyms

possibly

American  
[pos-uh-blee] / ˈpɒs ə bli /

adverb

  1. perhaps; maybe.

    It may possibly rain today.

  2. in a possible manner.

    She has all the money she can possibly use.

  3. by any possibility.

    Could you possibly check this information for me?
possibly British  
/ ˈpɒsɪblɪ /

    1. perhaps or maybe

    2. ( as sentence modifier )

      possibly he'll come
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adverb

  1. by any chance; at all

    he can't possibly come
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of possibly

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; possible + -ly

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.

Possibly for this reason, Vahidi has kept a very low profile in this war, making no public appearance.

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

Possibly the most telling statistic tracks the difference between borrowing benchmarks, such as the prime rate, and what you pay on your credit card.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 26, 2026

Possibly frightened at what appears to be a hostile situation, Good puts the car in reverse, then drives forward.

From Slate • Jan. 15, 2026

Possibly Mr. Cameron thinks mo-cap acting is a natural successor to 1920s pantomime, but it’s hard not to notice that blockbuster filmmaking has wandered about 26 trillion miles from the humanity of “City Lights.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 17, 2025

Possibly these dreams were in the back of her mind when she spoke to William that winter about quitting her job.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield

Definitions 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.