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Synonyms

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
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Some were less comfortable with the possibility of false positives, since there are often autistic people, or users whose first language isn’t English, whose writing styles are stigmatized as A.I.-like.

From Slate • Apr. 1, 2026

However, he provided little insight into the state of what he described as "ongoing" discussions with Iran's leadership, leaving open the possibility of hitting Iranian energy infrastructure if negotiations prove fruitless.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

There’s no possibility, however, that the Nintendo source material will leave your mind during 2023’s animated smash “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” or its sequel, “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

City Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, a longtime advocate for the elephants, filed a motion seeking to pause their relocation until the City Council could review the possibility of sending them to a sanctuary.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026

He was surprised that Charlie and Jamie, both now so alive to the possibility of dramatic change in the financial markets, were less alert and responsive to the possibilities outside those markets.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

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.