potential

American  

[puh-ten-shuhl] / pəˈtɛn ʃəl /

adjective

1. possible, as opposed to actual.

   the potential uses of nuclear energy.

2. capable of being or becoming.

   a potential danger to safety.

3. Grammar. expressing possibility.

   the potential subjunctive in Latin; the potential use of can in I can go.

4. Archaic. potent.

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noun

1. possibility; potentiality.

   an investment that has little growth potential.

   Synonyms:

   potency, capacity

2. a latent excellence or ability that may or may not be developed.

3. Grammar.

   1. a potential aspect, mood, construction, case, etc.

   2. a form in the potential.

4. Electricity. electric potential.

5. Mathematics, Physics. a type of function from which the intensity of a field may be derived, usually by differentiation.

6. someone or something that is considered a worthwhile possibility.

   The list of job applications has been narrowed to half a dozen potentials.

potential British  

/ pəˈtɛnʃəl /

adjective

1. 1. possible but not yet actual

   2. (prenominal) capable of being or becoming but not yet in existence; latent

2. grammar (of a verb or form of a verb) expressing possibility, as English may and might

3. an archaic word for potent 1

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noun

1. latent but unrealized ability or capacity

   Jones has great potential as a sales manager

2. grammar a potential verb or verb form

3. short for electric potential

Related Words

See latent.

Other Word Forms

• nonpotential
  adjective
• potentially
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of potential

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English potencial (from Old French ), from Late Latin potentiālis. See potency, -al ¹

Explanation

If you can describe something as possible but not yet actual, choose the adjective potential. Companies try to reach potential customers through advertising. Potential, from the Latin potentia "power," sounds more complicated than it is. It describes something or someone that has the power to become something. A potential success is not yet a success but could be if circumstances are right. When a situation has the potential for disaster, it could turn bad easily. You have potential if you have a natural but undeveloped ability to do something and a building with potential will be really nice once it's fixed up.

Example Sentences

But polling and the results of council by-elections suggest that Reform has potential in areas which have not been traditionally Conservative, in communities where the "scunner factor" is strongest.

From BBC • May 7, 2026

In another TV interview this week, Cohen discussed the potential of cutting the e-commerce platform’s workforce if his bid was successful.

From MarketWatch • May 7, 2026

This comes as investors see AI chatbots as a potential threat to travel agencies’ consumer-facing business.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

General Rob Bonta to scrutinize potential antitrust harms that would come from billionaire David Ellison’s proposed takeover of Warner Bros.

From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026

“A great many costumes went into this one costume,” she thought, pleased with both her disguise and the potential math lesson, but there was no time to solve the costume/costumes problem just now.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• ability
• capability
• capacity
• potentiality
• power