Possible Meaning
/ˈpɒs.ə.bəl/Definition, CEFR level A1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjAble but not certain to happen; neither inevitable nor impossible.
adjCapable of being done or achieved; feasible.
Sentence Examples
She's asking how that's possible.
Liberty consists of being able to make everything as harmless as possible.
New technology has made it possible to communicate more easily.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
With the new parts from the factory, it is ____ to repair the car by noon.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She explored every ____ avenue before concluding that there was no simple solution to the problem.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English possible, from Old French possible, from Latin possibilis (“possible”), from posse, possum (“to be able”); see power. Displaced Middle English acumendlic (“possible”), from Old English ācumendlīċ (“possible”). Compare also Old English mihtelīċ (“strong, capable, powerful, possible”), which was cognate with Old High German mahtlīh (“possible”) and Old Norse máttulígr (“mighty, possible”). Compare also Dutch mogelijk (“possible”) and German möglich (“possible”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The humor of my proposition appealed more strongly to Miss Trevor than I had looked for, and from that time forward she became her old self again;[…]. Now she had come to look upon the matter in its true proportions, and her anticipation of a possible chance of teaching him a lesson was a pleasure to behold."
— 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter VIII, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
"And success in minor degree, in the sense in which he uses the term "success," is only somewhat more possible than success in winning the White House chair."
— 1901, Louis Freeland Smith, The Public, volume 4, page 438:
"Peace between Israel and the Arab countries is "more possible than any time before," says ex-Arab League U.N. ambassador Clovis Maskoud."
— 1993 September 10, Lee Michael Katz, “Expectant Mideast hopes to bear twin peace deals”, in USA Today, archived from the original on 30 Jun 2013, page 2A:
"Mostly, the microbiome is beneficial. It helps with digestion and enables people to extract a lot more calories from their food than would otherwise be possible. Research over the past few years, however, has implicated it in diseases from atherosclerosis to asthma to autism."
— 2013 June 29, “A punch in the gut”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8842, pages 72–3:
"[…] “don’t you be in any great hurry after that treasure.”
“Why, sir, I do my possible, which that ain’t,” said Silver. “I can only, asking your pardon, save my life and the boy’s by seeking for that treasure; and you may lay to that.”"
— 1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883, →OCLC:
Explore More A1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
With the new parts from the factory, it is ____ to repair the car by noon.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She explored every ____ avenue before concluding that there was no simple solution to the problem.