potentially

adverb

po·​ten·​tial·​ly pə-ˈten(t)-sh(ə-)lē 

: in a potential or possible state or condition

—used to describe the possible results or effects of something

a potentially dangerous situation [=a situation that has the potential to be or become dangerous]

a potentially useful feature

By creating a personal home page, anyone can publish material that potentially can be read by millions of people worldwide.

—Peter H. Lewis

The phenomenon seemed significant for both the science of immunology and, potentially, for medicine.

—Daniel J. Kevles

Potentially adding to the cost of the bail-out is the prevailing FDIC notion that some banks are simply too big to fail.

—L. J. Davis

The result, they say, is that children are less compelled to play outside, potentially stunting emotional and physical development and exacerbating a nationwide epidemic of childhood obesity.

—Sumathi Reddy

Examples of potentially in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Urban planners argue that higher density caps can help boost the stock of affordable housing and potentially lead to lower rent costs. —Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 4 May 2026

Cohen added that eBay's earnings power could increase materially under tighter cost controls, arguing earnings could potentially double over a relatively short period. —Yun Li,anniek Bao,annie Palmer, CNBC, 4 May 2026

The items, sold nationwide at retailers like Walmart and Aldi, may contain Salmonella, a potentially deadly pathogen. —Jenna Anderson, Health, 4 May 2026

Roughly three weeks into the journey, passengers began showing symptoms consistent with hantavirus, a rare but potentially severe disease typically transmitted through contact with infected rodents. —Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 4 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for potentially

• essentially
• confidentially
• exponentially
• inferentially
• experientially