perhaps
/pəˈhæps/
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: perhapses
Sense 1
Adverb
Examples
Perhaps John will come over for dinner.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
AdverbRegister: dated
Examples
[…] will live until he dies perhaps, and then lie down in clover.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 3
Meaning · English
An uncertainty.
Noun
Examples
I cannot conceive what atheism, or skepticism, or positivism could do for me now, with their negations, and endless and contradictory perhapses, and perhapses, and perhapses.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “perhaps” mean?
Possibly.
Is “perhaps” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.