maybe

Meaning

Adv

1. (not-comparable) Perhaps, possibly.
2. (not-comparable) Perhaps that is true (expressing no commitment to a decision or a neutral viewpoint to a statement).
3. (UK, not-comparable) Certainly.

Adj

Possible; uncertain.

Noun

1. (informal) Something that is possibly true.
2. (informal) An answer that shows neither agreement nor disagreement.
3. (informal) A future event that may or may not happen.

Synonyms

perhaps

possibly

perchance

mayhap

probably

peradventure

could be

might

if

likely

haply

hopefully

or

possible

by some chance

almost

by chance

all of a sudden

ablins

can be

suddenly

nearly

possibility

presumably

probable

reckon

seemingly

sometimes

sort of

surely

think

🤔

unlikely

used to

and then

I guess

I think

like as not

not necessarily

it’s possible

hope to

praps

wish to

ablings

mayhappen

about

aiblins

although

anyhow

apparently

approximately

Translations

vielleicht

peut-être

forse

quizás

quizá

tal vez

misschien

chissà

mogelijk

talvez

acaso

wellicht

eventuell

fortasse

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈmeɪbi/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English:

In summary

From an ellipsis of Middle English it may be, equivalent to may + be. Compare mayhap.

Sentences

Maybe it was because they moved around so much .

Maybe the alchemist has never been in love , the boy thought .

Maybe that's why they give up on it so early , too .

Maybe the church , with the sycamore growing from within , had been haunted .