maybe

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.

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.

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

może

eventuell

fortasse

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 .