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possible Definition

pos·sible (päs′ə bəl)

adjective

  1. that can be; capable of existing
  2. that can be in the future; that may or may not happen
    1. that can be done, known, acquired, selected, used, etc., depending on circumstances a possible candidate
    2. that can happen or be; potential
  4. that may be done; permissible
  5. that may be a fact or the truth
  6. Informal that can be put up with; tolerable

Etymology: OFr < L possibilis < posse, to be able: see potent

possible Synonyms

possible

modif.

  1. Within the realm of possibility

    conceivable, imaginable, thinkable, plausible, reasonable, probable, likely; see also likely 1.

  2. That may happen or be done

    feasible, practicable, workable, viable, attainable, achievable, permissible, potential, within reach; see also likely 1.

  3. *Acceptable

    tolerable, expedient, desirable, welcome; see pleasant 2.

possible is used of anything that may exist, occur, be done, etc., depending on circumstances a possible solution to a problem; practicable applies to that which can readily be effected under the prevailing conditions or by the means available a practicable plan; feasible is used of that which is likely to be carried through to a successful conclusion and, hence, connotes the desirability of doing so a method that is not economically feasible

possible Usage Examples

Adjective complement with noun phrase

  • make: Many technologies are combining to make DAVIC concepts possible.
  • do: I do everything possible to help my child and look what they do to me!

Infinitive complement

  • obtain: It will be possible to obtain accreditation for individual modules or to complete all mandatory modules in order to obtain the full qualification.
  • identify: The call for papers It may be possible to identify nurses who could present a research based paper through personal contacts.
  • determine: It should then be possible to determine which parts go together for painting purposes.
  • predict: By means of the analysis of the seismic activity evolution it was possible to predict the explosive event occurred on october 29th, 2000.
  • avoid: Please note that a limited number of tickets have been purchased, so do get in touch as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
  • distinguish: State that it is possible to distinguish starch from other carbohydrates using iodine solution.

Modifies a noun

  • solution: Figure 1 shows some possible solutions to this problem.
  • explanation: There are a variety of possible explanations for this feature.
  • exception: With the possible exception of an unusual act of gross misconduct, employees should normally not be surprised by formal discipline.
  • outcome: The level of support won by Respect was the worst possible outcome.
  • consequence: The Pentagon has been sniffing at the question of global warning, and has been growling about nuclear war as a possible consequence.
  • effect: In any event the possible adverse effect on humans from eating such chickens seems somewhat remote.

Used with adjective complement

  • seem: Maybe the present exhibition will change this, although it seems quite possible to me that it will not.
  • make: The latter occasion was made possible by the President who is also Chairman of the British Library.
  • become: With the disk drive, loading speed was substantially increased and it became possible to use program overlays.
  • think: You will learn how to help reduce or eliminate back pain and get faster and better results than you have ever thought possible.
  • remain: It therefore remains possible that the reports and web files contain inaccuracies.

Preposition: in

  • order: Members are urged to pay as soon as possible in order to avoid the cost of chasing you up!
possible Quotes

Politics is not the art of the possible. It consists in choosing between the disastrous and the unpalatable. See Butler176:34.

—Galbraith,John Kenneth

Madame, si c'est possible, c'est fait; impossible? cela se fera. Madam, if a thing is possible, consider it done; the impossible? that will be done.

—Calonne, Charles Alexandre de

For those who believe in God no explanation is necessary. For those who do not believe in God no explanation is possible.

—Seaton, George pseudonym of  George Stenius

Politics is the art of the possible. See Galbraith 343:94.

—Butler, Baron

L'imagination est la reine du vrai, et le possible est une des provinces du vrai. Imagination is the queen of the truth and the possible is one of the provinces of the truth.

—Baudelaire, Charles

When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible he is almost certainly right.When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong.

—Clarke, SirArthur C(harles)

I'd like to thank all those who made this possibleöespecially Jack Warner

—Andrews,Julie originally Julia ElizabethWells

Charlie Parker†always filled me with a kind of despair, because he played the way I would have liked to write, and this wasn't possible for me or anyone else. He made poetry seem word-bound.

—Kavanagh, P(atrick) J(oseph Gregory)