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

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

Fittingly, when Banjo himself took on the restoration challenge he told the BBC that he hoped "maybe it will have some people come and stay - hopefully".

From BBC • May 30, 2026

But, then again, maybe the inevitable is tiresome.

From Salon • May 30, 2026

Everything changes when a candidate becomes a winner, so maybe it would be good for democracy to have an old-fashioned war of ideas in this moment when the future of California holds so many unknowns.

From Los Angeles Times • May 30, 2026

"If we can do that, maybe someday we could do quantum computing in a cell phone," Pan says with a smile.

From Science Daily • May 30, 2026

I think maybe the compass incident, the disaster he had so nearly brought upon us that day, had changed him, made him more aware of other people.

From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo