INDEX:
1. when you think something may happen or may be true, but you are not sure
RELATED WORDS
opposite
↑ CERTAINLY/DEFINITELY
see also
↑ PROBABLY
↑ SURE/NOT SURE
↑ POSSIBLE
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1. when you think something may happen or may be true, but you are not sure
▷ maybe/perhaps /ˈmeɪbi, pəʳˈhæps/ [adverb]
use this when you think that something may happen or may be true, but you are not sure. Perhaps is more formal than maybe. :
▪ ‘Will you be there tomorrow?’ ‘I don’t know, maybe.’
▪ I wonder why she’s late - maybe she missed the train.
▪ The footprints belonged to a large cat, a tiger, perhaps.
▪ I’m not sure why I couldn’t sleep. Perhaps it was the coffee.
maybe not/perhaps not
▪ ‘It’s not her fault that she can’t get a job.’ ‘Well, maybe not, but she should make a little more effort.’
▪ Housing prices will continue to rise, though perhaps not as much as was predicted last year.
▷ may/might/could /meɪ, maɪt, kʊd/ [modal verb]
use this with other verbs, to show that something is possible, or likely, but you are not sure about it. May and might are more formal than could :
▪ Take your umbrella -- it might rain.
▪ Hundreds of workers may lose their jobs if the strike continues.
▪ We could be home before midnight if the traffic isn’t too bad.
may/might/could have done something
▪ ‘Bruce isn’t here yet.’ ‘He may have decided not to come.’
▪ It’s a good thing we got her to the hospital right away -- the doctor said she could have died if we’d waited.
▷ it is possible (that)/there’s a chance (that) /ɪt ɪz ˈpɒsə̇b ə l (ðət)ǁ-ˈpɑː-, ðeəʳz ə ˈtʃɑːns (ðət)ǁ-ˈtʃæns-/
use this when you think that something may happen or may be done, but that it is not very likely :
▪ I might have to work on Saturday, so it’s possible I won’t be able to come to your party.
▪ There’s a chance that I’ll be in California in October, so I might be able to visit you for a few days.
it is just possible (that)/there is just a chance (that)
when something is possible, but very unlikely
▪ Tomorrow should be sunny but there’s just a chance of showers in the afternoon.
▪ It’s just possible we’ll finish the job by tonight, but it’ll probably be tomorrow.
outside chance/possibility
▪ Martinez will need surgery, but there’s an outside chance he’ll be playing again before the end of the season.
slim chance/possibility
▪ Sims has some numbness and weakness in her legs, and surgeons say there is a slim possibility of paralysis.
▷ possibly /ˈpɒsɪbli, ˈpɒsəbliǁˈpɑː-/ [adverb]
use this when you think that something may be true, but you do not have enough information to be sure :
▪ ‘Do you think she was murdered, inspector?’ ‘Possibly.’
▪ He’s playing in the US Open Golf Championships - possibly for the last time.
▪ Stone is possibly America’s finest film director.
▪ The cancer was possibly caused by exposure to asbestos.
▪ Trade between the two countries began in the 11th century, possibly even earlier.
▪ Many analysts believe interest rates will rise, possibly as early as next spring.
quite possibly
very possibly
▪ The examination hall was vast, with at least 700 or 800 students and quite possibly as many as 1000.
▷ conceivably /kənˈsiːvəbli/ [adverb]
if you think something may conceivably happen or be true, it seems unlikely but you can imagine that it is possible :
▪ Reservations are advised but you might conceivably find a hotel the day you arrive.
▪ It is still unlikely, but unemployment could conceivably begin to fall by the end of the year.
▷ you never know /juː ˌnevəʳ ˈnəʊ/ spoken
say this when you are not sure whether something will happen, because no one knows what will happen in the future :
▪ I don’t think I’ll ever get married, but you never know.
▪ Why don’t you ask for a raise? You never know, they could say yes.
▷ who knows? /ˌhuː ˈnəʊz/ spoken
say this when you have no way of knowing whether something is true or not true :
▪ ‘Will you still be working here next year?’ ‘Who knows? Maybe I will, maybe I won’t.’
▪ Maybe he wasn’t telling the truth. Who knows?