Meaning 1
Something that may happen, exist, or prove true.
Reach for it when naming an uncertain outcome without presenting it as likely
The engineers kept open the possibility that the fault came from two sources.
Meaning 2
An available option or prospect for action and development.
Reach for it when naming a route that could be pursued
The empty workshop offered the possibility of evening classes.
| Meaning 1 | Meaning 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| everyday | ||
| warm | ||
| professional |
| |
| formal | ||
| Register not recorded |
everyday
chance
Fits when uncertainty about occurrence is the main point
Careful Chance can imply probability or luck rather than mere logical possibility.
professional
Fits when latent capacity could develop into reality
Careful Potential belongs to an entity or situation, not every possible event.
formal
conceivability
Fits when the issue is whether something can be imagined or accepted logically
Careful The abstract term says nothing about practical feasibility.
formal
prospect
Fits when a future outcome is being contemplated
Careful Prospect often suggests likelihood or attractiveness beyond possibility.
everyday
opening
Fits when a role, time, or practical space becomes available
Careful It is too concrete for a broad intellectual or future possibility.
warm
Fits when early signs suggest worthwhile future development
Careful Promise implies favorable evidence and is stronger than bare possibility.
professional
avenue
Fits when one route among several can be explored
Careful An avenue is a method, not the future outcome itself.
professional
Fits when a person can choose a concrete course
Careful An option must be available to choose, while a possibility may arise on its own.
Register not recorded
Fits when circumstances create a favorable opening for action
Careful A possibility may be neutral or harmful and need not be actionable.
real possibility
Remote diagnosis became a real possibility after the signal improved.
explore the possibility
The council agreed to explore the possibility of a shared repair depot.
open up possibilities
The new footbridge will open up possibilities for year-round deliveries.
distinct possibility
A wiring fault remained a distinct possibility after the battery tested normally.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Dvortygirl, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Updated
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