What does possibly mean?

Definitions for possibly
ˈpɒs ə blipos·si·b·ly

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word possibly.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. possibly, perchance, perhaps, maybe, mayhap, peradventureadverb

    by chance

    "perhaps she will call tomorrow"; "we may possibly run into them at the concert"; "it may peradventure be thought that there never was such a time"

  2. possiblyadverb

    to a degree possible of achievement or by possible means

    "they can't possibly get here in time for the funeral?"

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Possiblyadverb

    Etymology: from possible.

    Within the compass of which laws, we do not only comprehend whatsoever may be easily known to belong to the duty of all men, but even whatsoever may possibly be known to be of that quality. Richard Hooker, b. i. s. 8.

    Can we possibly his love desert? John Milton.

    Possibly he might be found in the hands of the earl of Essex, but he would be dead first. Edward Hyde, b. viii.

    Arbitrary power tends to make a man a bad sovereign, who might possibly have been a good one, had he been invested with an authority circumscrib’d by laws. Addison.

ChatGPT

  1. possibly

    Possibly refers to something that has a chance of happening or becoming true; it indicates uncertainty or indicates the potential for certain situations or conditions. It can also suggest an event or action that is permissible or achievable.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Possiblyadverb

    in a possible manner; by possible means; especially, by extreme, remote, or improbable intervention, change, or exercise of power; by a chance; perhaps; as, possibly he may recover

British National Corpus

  1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'possibly' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #1561

  2. Written Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'possibly' in Written Corpus Frequency: #905

  3. Adverbs Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'possibly' in Adverbs Frequency: #130

How to pronounce possibly?

How to say possibly in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of possibly in Chaldean Numerology is: 1

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of possibly in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of possibly in a Sentence

  1. Douglas Adams, "Mostly Harmless":

    The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair.

  2. Holger Schmieding:

    What we are seeing is the service sector holding up comfortably well while the industrial slump has got more room to run and even possibly deepen, this data is not going make recessionary concerns worse, but it also won't make them vanish anytime soon. We are still far away from any stabilization and it could possibly drag on till we see at least a partial trade deal between the U.S. and China.

  3. Douglas Adams:

    The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at or repair.

  4. Jesse Evans:

    Could you call me as soon as you possibly can ? My( inaudible) and I been involved in a shooting and I need some advice right away. Could you please call me, as soon as you possibly can ? Thanks. Bye.

  5. A. E. Hotchner:

    Of course we all have our limits, but how can you possibly find your boundaries unless you explore as far and as wide as you possibly can I would rather fail in an attempt at something new and uncharted than safely succeed in a repeat of something I have done.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

possibly#1#3872#10000

Translation

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"possibly." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2023. Web. 24 Sep. 2023. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/possibly>.

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    a British imperial capacity measure (liquid or dry) equal to 4 quarts or 4.545 liters
    • A. macron
    • B. instigation
    • C. meerschaum
    • D. congius

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