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

And personal computers offered even more entertainment possibilities, especially when they became connected to the internet and brought access to chat rooms, bulletin boards, email and more.

From The Wall Street Journal

It’s how they test the possibility of letting their walls down, of staying.

From Salon

French President Emmanuel Macron, who has previously raised the possibility of extending France's nuclear umbrella across Europe, is scheduled to deliver a major speech on French nuclear doctrine at the end of February.

From Barron's

There are "lots of possibilities" in Greenland, he said, sounding an optimistic note.

From Barron's

The county sheriff department said the suspect description "remains a key focus", adding: "However, investigators are not ruling out any individuals or possibilities."

From BBC

Related Words

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