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.

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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

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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

Pulling away from those possibilities to fight each other was random, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense.

From BBC

"Small changes in the properties of soft materials over micron distances are finally possible, which will open up all sorts of possibilities," Melosh said.

From Science Daily

Although the possibilities are remarkable, most DNA robots today remain in early experimental stages and are better understood as proof of concept rather than practical tools.

From Science Daily

He said the airline has gamed out the possibility that oil prices jump to $175 a barrel.

From The Wall Street Journal

There’s a possibility that oil prices could climb even higher if the strait doesn’t reopen, Razaqzada said — and if oil stays high, inflation risks will start creeping back into focus and ultimately hurt risk appetite.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

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