possibility

[ pos-uh-bil-i-tee ]

noun

, plural pos·si·bil·i·ties

1. the state or fact of being possible:

   the possibility of error.

   Synonyms: odds, likelihood, prospect, chance

2. something possible:

   He had exhausted every possibility but one.

possibility

/ ˌpɒsɪˈbɪlɪtɪ /

noun

1. the state or condition of being possible
2. anything that is possible
3. a competitor, candidate, etc, who has a moderately good chance of winning, being chosen, etc
4. often plural a future prospect or potential

   my new house has great possibilities

Word History and Origins

Origin of possibility¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English possibilite, from Late Latin possibilitās, from Latin possibil(is) possible + -itās -ity

Example Sentences

Put another way, Taylor explained to me, today’s acceptance of climate change on the far right — and, inevitably, he said, among conservatives writ large — is ushering in a more clear-eyed view of what lies ahead for America, one that accepts the possibility, even the necessity, of sacrifice.

From Salon

Like winged creatures of the sky it draws its nickname from, the bird of paradise seems always ready for takeoff, angling itself toward the light of better tomorrows, or at least the possibility of them.

From Los Angeles Times

Because though it was never guaranteed in our household, in those years following the rebellion, in those sometimes unsteady months as a new family of three in the haze of my parents divorce, we held on to the depth of that possibility no matter what came our way.

From Los Angeles Times

But each of these explanations ignores the more intriguing possibility: that there is something afoot in metropolitan America drawing voters toward Donald Trump.

From Slate

A couple of days into the search, there were reports of underwater noises picked up by a search plane’s sonar, raising the possibility they were coming from the sub.

From BBC

Related Words

• action
• circumstance
• hazard
• hope
• incident
• opportunity
• probability
• prospect
• risk