potential
adjective
po·ten·tial
| \ pə-ˈten(t)-shəl
\
\
Definition of potential
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: existing in possibility : capable of development into actuality
potential benefits
2
: expressing possibility
specifically
: of, relating to, or constituting a verb phrase expressing possibility, liberty, or power by the use of an auxiliary with the infinitive of the verb (as in "it may rain")
potential
nounDefinition of potential (Entry 2 of 2)
1a
: something that can develop or become actual
a potential for violence
b
: promise sense 2
2a
: any of various functions from which the intensity or the velocity at any point in a field may be readily calculated
b
: the work required to move a unit positive charge from a reference point (as at infinity) to a point in question
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Other Words from potential
Adjective
potentially
\ pə-ˈten(t)-sh(ə-)lē
\
adverb
\
adverb
Synonyms & Antonyms for potential
Synonyms: Adjective
Synonyms: Noun
capability, eventuality, possibility, potentiality, prospect
Antonyms: Adjective
actual, existent, factual, real
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Examples of potential in a Sentence
Adjective
Doctors are excited about the new drug's potential benefits. Critics say the factory poses a potential threat to the environment. He is a potential candidate for president. The project has potential risks.Noun
Scientists are exploring the potentials of the new drug. The new technology has the potential to transform the industry. There is potential in the new technology, but it will be a long time before it can actually be used. The company has a lot of potential for future growth. He has the potential to be one of the team's best players. He shows enormous potential as an athlete.
Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
But fire officials were concerned about the potential for collapse at the historic building at West Seventh Street and Leech Street, near Grand Avenue. — Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, "After driver crashes into St. Paul store, firefighters stabilize building to prevent collapse," 16 Aug. 2019 Reed opened the door to a rethinking of women’s rights under the constitution, and Hanson was likely aware of the potential impact of Rubel’s lawsuit on future cases in this new environment. — Britni De La Cretaz, Longreads, "Flagrant Foul: Benching Teen Moms Before Title IX," 14 Aug. 2019 Two are 21-year-olds with plenty of potential: Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who arrived from Crystal Palace for £49m, and Daniel James, a Welsh winger, from Swansea for £15m. — M.j., The Economist, "Man City’s and Liverpool’s rivals have copied their transfer strategy," 10 Aug. 2019 But Samsung—like Google—seems to believe there’s a lot of potential for gesture control, and plans to allow game developers to take advantage of the stylus actions too. — Lauren Goode, WIRED, "Samsung’s New Galaxy Note Now Comes in Two Different Sizes," 7 Aug. 2019 The darker red areas are indicative of potential strong to severe weather. — Dave Epstein, BostonGlobe.com, "Weekend looks delightful, but first we have to get through these storms," 7 Aug. 2019 The decision to combine messaging services comes at a time when Facebook is under investigation by the Federal Trade Commission for potential antitrust violations. — Sarah Frier, Fortune, "Instagram Direct Is Being Rebuilt Using Facebook Messenger’s Technology," 7 Aug. 2019 Fields has already started to pop up on watchlist for postseason awards this season, and his raw talent gives him the potential to be a Heisman candidate. — Stephen Means, cleveland.com, "Navy football to change gun motto for 2019 season: Buckeye Breakfast," 6 Aug. 2019 The result has been a rise in the average cost of some Apple products sold on Amazon, which is a potential price-fixing violation that could result in antitrust action, experts say. — Nick Statt, The Verge, "Amazon is encouraging third-party sellers to raise prices on Walmart or risk losing perks," 5 Aug. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Babysitting for the meeting is provided for all potential and current members free of charge. — cleveland.com, "Avon Lake library, schools partner for community read initiative: Short Takes on Avon, Avon Lake and North Ridgeville," 2 Aug. 2019 At the helm of the National Scholastic Surfing Assn., Aragon has encouraged students to strive to meet their full potential in the sport and their education. — Priscella Vega, Daily Pilot, "Three surfers and industry leaders leave their mark as new inductees in H.B.’s Surfers’ Hall of Fame," 2 Aug. 2019 But then, a record executive from another label, Jason Flom, heard Ford's original version and saw her potential. — Christopher Rosa, Glamour, "Willa Ford: From 'I Wanna Be Bad' to Scott Disick's Interior Designer," 2 Aug. 2019 The jury in the courtroom didn’t see her—her sense of humor, her intelligence, her potential, her empathy. — Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, "The Ballad of Taystee Jefferson," 31 July 2019 Lang has exceptional potential and seems to be getting better each year. — Brian Howell, The Denver Post, "CU Buffs football position preview: Mustafa Johnson leads inexperienced group of defensive linemen," 30 July 2019 That’s the potential and expectations, both externally and internally, are extremely high. — oregonlive.com, "Oregon Ducks fall camp position breakdown: Quarterbacks," 25 July 2019 During the competition the finalists will be judged on taste, flavor, value, market potential and customer appeal. — Greg Morago, Houston Chronicle, "H-E-B announces finalists for 2019 Quest for Texas Best competition," 24 July 2019 Such a degree of crossover potential and community unity between a company's handheld and console user bases would be a noteworthy achievement. — Robert Carnevale, WIRED, "Should You Buy the Nintendo Switch Lite?," 14 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'potential.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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