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
Cite this Entry
“Potentially.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/potentially. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.
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