possibly
advUK /ˈpɒs.ə.bli/ · US /ˈpɑ.sɪ.bli/
Etymology From possible + -ly.
1
Modifying a clause or predicate Perhaps; indicates that the proposition may be true (is not certainly false) regardless of any facts or circumstances known to, stated by or implied by the speaker.
- Near-synonyms: maybe, perhaps, mayhap, mayhaps, by chance, perchance, peradventure; conceivably
- Possibly, they will make gains in the midterm elections.
4 more examples
- It was possibly the costliest mistake in the organization's history.
- This rare and possibly unique specimen must be conserved.
- “Well, everything does point to either a major epeirogenic deformation, or possibly just a simple disruption of isostasy throughout the entire plate network.”2015, N. K. Jemisin, The Fifth Season, Orbit (2016), page 274:
- That, however, is something the ZOA has seemed unwilling to do, on the theory that Bannon is a self-declared, and possibly even sincere, supporter of the Jewish state.2017 November 16, Bret Stephens, “Steve Bannon Is Bad for the Jews”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 10 Jul 2020:
2
Modifying a verb In the realm of possibility; indicates that the action may successfully be performed (is not impossible) regardless of any facts or circumstances known to, stated by or implied by the speaker that might limit the performance.
- I'm much stronger than you, so you can't possibly win.
- I couldn't possibly be there on time.
3 more examples
- I couldn't possibly cheat on my wife.
- It seems unlikely, but, yes, they could possibly win even now.
- The police don't know him, and the information they have leads them to think he could possibly have murdered his wife.
- Related terms
- contingently, incidentally