conceivably
Americanadverb
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as an outside chance; in a way that is possible, though not likely.
-
in a way that is possible to conceive or imagine.
Explanation
Use the adverb conceivably when you're talking about something that is believable or possible. You could say, for example, that you'll conceivably still be on time to work after oversleeping, especially if you skip breakfast. You might tell your sister that you could conceivably go on every single ride at the state fair in an hour, if you move quickly and don't stop to eat fried dough. You could also say that your favorite baseball team might conceivably win the World Series next year. Conceivably comes from its adjective form, conceivable, and both words are rooted in the Latin concipere, which means "take in, hold, or grasp" and also "become pregnant."
Vocabulary lists containing conceivably
The Giver
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The Fault in Our Stars
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Selection Vocabulary 3, Unit 4
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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.
“First, the possibility that he might say something false and be prosecutable for perjury under federal law. Second, possibility that something he said might conceivably be used by some state government to prosecute him criminally.”
From Slate ● Aug. 7, 2026
He could conceivably do whatever he liked, go in whichever direction he pleased.
From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026
On display from Statia, now a special municipality of the Netherlands, is a massive late-17th- or 18th-century cannon, which could conceivably have fired the historic salute.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 6, 2026
If Venkatesham and Lange get the next big decision wrong it could conceivably end with Spurs in the Championship, leaving a scar on their record that would be impossible to recover from.
From BBC ● Mar. 29, 2026
Thus, conceivably the crux of the matter was a rule governing hydrogen bonding between bases.
From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson
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.
