Meaning & use
conceivably
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Meaning
adverb
Used to say that something is possible to imagine or believe, even if unlikely.
Grammar: Often used to soften a statement; can come at the start or before the verb.
Patterns
- conceivably, ...
- could conceivably
- might conceivably
Conceivably, the meeting could be moved to next week.
She could conceivably finish the project by Friday, but it would be difficult.
The weather might conceivably improve by the afternoon.
Common combinations
- could conceivably
- The team could conceivably win the championship.
- might conceivably
- He might conceivably change his mind.
- conceivably possible
- It is conceivably possible, though very unlikely.
Synonyms and how they differ
- possibly
- Possibly is more neutral and common; conceivably stresses that you can imagine it, even if it seems far-fetched.
- perhaps
- Perhaps simply means 'maybe'; conceivably adds the idea of something being imaginable or believable.
Opposites
Word family
- conceive verb
- To form an idea or think of something.
- conceivable adjective
- Possible to imagine or believe.
- conceivability noun
- The quality of being imaginable.
Commonly confused: conceivably or conceivably vs convincingly?
conceivably vs conceivably vs convincingly
Conceivably means 'possibly'; convincingly means 'in a way that makes you believe it'. They sound similar but have different meanings.
Practice
The plan is risky, but it could ______ work if everything goes well.
Choose one answer.
'Conceivably' is the adverb modifying 'work'. 'Conceivable' is an adjective, 'conceive' is a verb, and 'conceivability' is a noun, so none fit grammatically after 'could'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “conceivably”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.