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.

---

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

---

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

Within a day of her sharing the post, CBP circulated her name and photo with a warning to agents in the field: Martinez, a U.S. citizen, was a potential threat.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

Anthropic, last valued at $350 billion, eyes an IPO this year, with potential fund-raising valuing it up to $900 billion.

From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026

Additionally, with Sandisk expected to start shipping its quad-level cell enterprise solid-state drives to two customers over the next several quarters, Curtis sees the potential for market-share improvements.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 30, 2026

Investors are discounting how rising energy prices will hurt the U.S. economy and instead evaluating stocks based on earnings and growth potential from AI.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

If he was a friend—or a potential friend, anyway—the answer was in helping him.

From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack

Related Words

• ability
• capability
• capacity
• potentiality
• power