possibly

American  

[pos-uh-blee] / ˈpɒs ə bli /

adverb

1. perhaps; maybe.

   It may possibly rain today.

2. in a possible manner.

   She has all the money she can possibly use.

3. by any possibility.

   Could you possibly check this information for me?

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possibly British  

/ ˈpɒsɪblɪ /

1. 1. perhaps or maybe

   2. ( as sentence modifier )

      possibly he'll come

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adverb

1. by any chance; at all

   he can't possibly come

Etymology

Origin of possibly

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; possible + -ly

Example Sentences

Possibly the biggest change over the summer was not the coaching team but a loss of leadership.

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026

"Possibly, this is due to their more egalitarian social systems. Bonobos appear to live together in more fluid relationships, with social bonds that transcend group boundaries, something we rarely see in chimpanzees," explains Van Leeuwen.

From Science Daily • May 31, 2026

Possibly the same fear of making value judgments that has inhibited Bonnie from imposing common-sense discipline in her classroom has robbed “For Want of a Horse” of a propulsive point of view.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026

Possibly for this reason, Vahidi has kept a very low profile in this war, making no public appearance.

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

Possibly his experience with the bounty hunter Phil Resch had altered some minute synapsis in him, had closed one neurological switch and opened another.

From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick

Related Words

• conceivably
• likely
• perhaps
• probably