perhaps

1 of 2

adverb

per·​haps pər-ˈhaps How to pronounce perhaps (audio)
ˈpraps
Synonyms of perhaps
: possibly but not certainly : maybe

perhaps

2 of 2

noun

: something open to doubt or conjecture

Synonyms of perhaps

Relevance

Adverb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of perhaps in a Sentence

Adverb perhaps we will not have to take this exam, but I doubt it
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adverb
Those factors are putting homeownership out of reach for many buyers while others delay a purchase and hope for more favorable conditions, perhaps in the spring. — Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026 The album’s marketing amplified this point, perhaps piggybacking on the idea that real-life salaciousness could drive sales. — Clover Hope, Pitchfork, 25 Oct. 2026 But perhaps his most powerful political asset is his devastating personal loss. — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Oct. 2026 Others privately expressed fear that Henderson would provoke retaliation from the President, perhaps causing the state to lose pending federal grants to build nuclear power plants and to restore the Great Salt Lake. — Barton Gellman, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for perhaps

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

per + hap

First Known Use

Adverb

circa 1520, in the meaning defined above

Noun

circa 1643, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of perhaps was circa 1520

Rhymes for perhaps

See All Rhymes for perhaps

Browse Nearby Words

perhalogen
perhaps
per head
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Perhaps.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perhaps. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

perhaps

adverb
per·​haps
pər-ˈ(h)aps, 
ˈpraps
: possibly but not certainly
Etymology

Adverb

from per (preposition) "by, according to" and haps, plural of hap "chance, chance occurrence" — related to happen, happy, mishap

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All