potentially
Americanadverb
Etymology
Origin of potentially
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English; potential + -ly
Explanation
Use the adverb potentially to describe something that could happen or might be true. Your backyard leaf burning project, for example, is potentially dangerous. When there's a possibility of something occurring or becoming reality, use the word potentially. All babies are potentially geniuses, and you might optimistically watch new TV comedies every fall in the belief that they're potentially funny. In other words, babies might turn out to be brilliant, and TV shows have the possibility of making you laugh out loud. The root word here is potential, from the Latin potentia, "power, might or force."
Vocabulary lists containing potentially
Bob
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The Man Who to the Far Side of the Moon and "Mayday on Moon of Jupiter"
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Storm Runners
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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.
In order to rebuild depleted reserves over the summer, Europe could also need to buy significantly more LNG, potentially keeping global supplies tight well into next year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026
The three will potentially meet at a summit in China later this month.
From Barron's ● Nov. 3, 2026
When the parties meet again later this month, they will hear the judge's rulings on the motions argued in court on Monday, and potentially will discuss dates for a retrial, Judge Sullivan said.
From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026
Impacts could have fractured the objects and exposed fresh material, potentially changing their surface compositions and colors.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 2, 2026
No physical alterations that are deemed potentially disruptive, including, but not limited to, unnatural hair color, makeup, or piercings.
From "The First Rule of Punk" by Celia C. Pérez
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
