perhaps
Americanadverb
adverb
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:
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Within days, he yielded to perhaps the most significant of the protesters’ demands, firing the country’s top military commander, Gen. Oleksandr Syrskiy, who was widely criticized for sticking to old-school Soviet ways and hampering change.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
Someone – a colleague perhaps – had informed the gang exactly where he worked and what he did.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
I would note that, perhaps not coincidentally, people covered by TPS are often eligible to apply for asylum.
From Slate ● Jul. 28, 2026
As for the remaining 40% of couples surveyed, they don’t appear to be coordinating, but they also don’t lose money because of it, perhaps for reasons such as both of them maximizing their match.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
They couldn’t outrun it, but perhaps they could hide.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
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.
