possibility

[pos-uh-bil-i-tee]

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

/ 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of possibility¹

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

Example Sentences

He’s been with the Brewers his entire career and re-signing with them is a strong possibility.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

It added that by not publishing the final report under the university's auspices it hoped "we can minimise the possibility of any further scrutiny of our operations .. thereby attending to related duty of care issues".

Read more on BBC

The possibility of Yamamoto pitching in Game 7 became real to Friedman after he performed his trademark javelin-throwing routine and played catch at Rogers Centre.

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Adding to those concerns is the possibility that the Supreme Court’s conservative majority could weaken a key provision of the landmark Voting Rights Act and limit lawmakers’ ability to consider race when redrawing maps.

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The Sonora state public security secretariat said it had ruled out the possibility it was an attack or act of deliberate violence against civilians.

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Related Words

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