possibility

American  

[pos-uh-bil-i-tee] / ˌpɒs əˈbɪl ɪ ti /

noun

plural

possibilities

1. the state or fact of being possible.

   the possibility of error.

   Synonyms:

   odds, likelihood, prospect, chance

2. something possible.

   He had exhausted every possibility but one.

---

possibility British  

/ ˌpɒsɪˈbɪlɪtɪ /

noun

1. the state or condition of being possible

2. anything that is possible

3. a competitor, candidate, etc, who has a moderately good chance of winning, being chosen, etc

4. (often plural) a future prospect or potential

   my new house has great possibilities

---

Etymology

Origin of possibility

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English possibilite, from Late Latin possibilitās, from Latin possibil(is) possible + -itās -ity

Example Sentences

There is always the possibility to get swept up in a film at Sundance, for it to become something you champion, for you to be changed in the process.

From Los Angeles Times

That letter needs to be sent with a willingness to listen "and hear that there may be other possibilities outside of the story I am telling".

From BBC

Separately, another cautioned that the growing number of low-orbit craft increases the possibility of crashes between objects - which could damage machines or send materials falling back to earth.

From BBC

Moore replicates that stroll in different seasons, but the most memorable shows Mary marching beside a snow-blanketed lake doubling as an unspoiled canvas, wide with possibility.

From Salon

“And it was really watching Gilda when I realized, ‘cause I’d always liked acting in school, that it was actually a local possibility.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• action
• circumstance
• hazard
• hope
• incident
• opportunity
• probability
• prospect
• risk