Definition of potentialitynext
as in possibility
something that can develop or become actual would like to see a colony on the moon as an actuality and not merely a potentiality

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of potentiality The film is set in 2029, a mere three years from now, demonstrating both an optimism about the potentiality of AI and a pessimism about the city’s trajectory. Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 21 Jan. 2026 And where there is injustice and frustration, the potentialities for violence are greater. NBC news, 12 Oct. 2025 On foot, there are no boundaries in the land, no divides, nothing but the past and the potentiality of the future. Michael McColly, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2025 Each of these sentiments points to the rich, fertile space that exists at the margins—of the body, of language, of the photograph—while also emphasizing the creative potentialities of touch, the action that propels these often porous edges to meet. Jessica Simmons-Reid, Artforum, 1 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for potentiality
Recent Examples of Synonyms for potentiality
Noun
  • When asked about that possibility following the trade deadline, Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow notably didn’t rule it out.
    Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Running a red light in Texas is a Class C misdemeanor that carries a fine between $155 and $286, along with the possibility of higher insurance costs.
    Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • When, in late 2025, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi signaled the potential for Japan to intervene in a conflict over Taiwan, China suspended more than $86 million in purchases of Japanese seafood and sake.
    Caitlin Welsh, Foreign Affairs, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Clinicians understand the pressures facing care delivery and see the potential of AI to help healthcare work better for them and their patients.
    Jeff DiLullo, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Potentiality.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/potentiality. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on potentiality

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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