When Omar asked his team whether the product launch could move two weeks earlier, the room went quiet. One designer finally said, “It is possible, but only if we cut the extra features.” Everyone nodded, yet nobody felt sure what had actually been promised. Did possible mean the team could truly do it, or only that nobody could prove it could not be done? That gap between can happen and can be done is exactly where this word earns its living.
Possible is a generous word. It opens doors and keeps options alive. But because it covers so much ground, it can also sound vague. This guide walks through 18 alternatives and helps you pick the word that says exactly what you mean.
At a Glance: possible Synonyms and Related Alternatives
Here are the ten alternatives writers reach for most often.
- Feasible: able to be done successfully with available time and resources.
- Viable: able to work, survive or succeed in real conditions.
- Achievable: within reach of effort and steady work.
- Attainable: able to be reached or gained, often used for goals.
- Doable: informal way of saying something can be done.
- Likely: expected to happen, stronger than a bare chance.
- Probable: very likely, supported by evidence or past patterns.
- Plausible: believable on the surface, though not yet proven.
- Potential: able to develop into something, often used before nouns.
- Realistic: sensible and practical, judged against real limits.
Word Formation of “possible”
Etymology and Structure
Possible comes from the Latin word possibilis, built on posse, a verb meaning to be able. The word still carries that sense of ability: something that has the power to be or to be done. It travelled into English through French, which is why its ending resembles visible and flexible.
Date and History
The word entered English in the late fourteenth century, first in philosophy and theology, where thinkers debated what could happen and what nature allowed. From there it spread into law, medicine and daily speech.
Word Class Variations
- possible: adjective, as in a possible route.
- possibility: noun, as in a real possibility of rain.
- possibly: adverb, as in possibly the finest example.
- impossible: negative adjective, as in an impossible demand.
- impossibility: noun, as in the impossibility of the task.
Sources: Etymonline, Merriam-Webster
Exploring the Multiple Meanings of “possible”
Dictionaries record several connected senses for this word, and each one pulls the meaning in a different direction.
Sense 1: Able to Be Done
- Meaning: Something can happen or can be carried out.
- Explanation: The most common sense. It judges ability and circumstances, not probability.
- Example: “It is possible to finish the repairs by Friday.”
Sense 2: Able to Be True
- Meaning: Something may be true or may exist, even if nobody is certain.
- Explanation: Here possible marks the lowest rung of certainty. It only removes impossibility.
- Example: “A possible explanation is that the file was saved in the wrong folder.”
Sense 3: Suitable as an Option
- Meaning: A person, place or thing that could be chosen or considered.
- Explanation: In this sense possible works almost like a shortlist label before a noun.
- Example: “The committee named three possible venues for the ceremony.”
Sources: Merriam-Webster, Dictionary.com, Cambridge Dictionary
Analyzing 18 possible Alternatives in Detail
The 18 words below are grouped by the job they do, so you can find the exact shade of meaning you need.
Core Terms for Things That Can Be Done
1. Feasible
IPA: /ˈfiːzəbəl/
- Definition: Able to be done successfully with the resources and time available.
- Usage: The favourite of reports and proposals, where practicality matters most.
- Example: “A feasible plan would hire two editors instead of five.”
2. Viable
IPA: /ˈvaɪəbəl/
- Definition: Able to work, grow or succeed under real conditions.
- Usage: Common in business and science, where survival is the test.
- Example: “The farm is viable only if the well holds through summer.”
3. Achievable
IPA: /əˈtʃiːvəbəl/
- Definition: Able to be reached through effort and steady work.
- Usage: Loved by teachers and coaches, since it praises effort.
- Example: “An achievable target for March is twenty new subscribers.”
4. Attainable
IPA: /əˈteɪnəbəl/
- Definition: Able to be reached or gained, like a level, prize or standard.
- Usage: Slightly formal, common in education and career writing.
- Example: “With daily practice, fluency is an attainable goal.”
5. Doable
IPA: /ˈduːəbəl/
- Definition: Able to be done, in a relaxed and informal sense.
- Usage: Perfect for speech and friendly messages, too casual for contracts.
- Example: “Moving the meeting to Tuesday is doable for me.”
6. Workable
IPA: /ˈwɜːrkəbəl/
- Definition: Able to function or be used in practice.
- Usage: Often describes plans and compromises rather than events.
- Example: “They reached a workable arrangement for sharing the office.”
Words That Talk About Likelihood
7. Likely
IPA: /ˈlaɪkli/
- Definition: Expected to happen or to be true.
- Usage: A clear step stronger than possible, safe in most registers.
- Example: “The train is likely to arrive late because of the storm.”
8. Probable
IPA: /ˈprɑːbəbəl/
- Definition: Very likely, based on evidence, signs or past experience.
- Usage: Formal and measured, common in news, law and medicine.
- Example: “The probable cause of the outage was a damaged cable.”
9. Plausible
IPA: /ˈplɔːzəbəl/
- Definition: Seeming reasonable or believable, though not yet proven.
- Usage: Carries a hint of doubt, so use it when proof is missing.
- Example: “His plausible excuse fooled nobody on the second hearing.”
10. Conceivable
IPA: /kənˈsiːvəbəl/
- Definition: Able to be imagined or thought of.
- Usage: Marks the outer edge of possibility, where imagination works alone.
- Example: “Every conceivable delay had been planned for.”
11. Imaginable
IPA: /ɪˈmædʒɪnəbəl/
- Definition: Able to be pictured in the mind.
- Usage: Often follows superlatives for gentle emphasis in storytelling.
- Example: “She tried every imaginable route to the airport.”
12. Potential
IPA: /pəˈtenʃəl/
- Definition: Having the capacity to become something in the future.
- Usage: Works as adjective and noun, mostly in business and science.
- Example: “Investors saw potential buyers in every visitor to the stall.”
Practical Options for Real Situations
13. Realistic
IPA: /ˌrɪəˈlɪstɪk/
- Definition: Sensible and possible when judged against real limits.
- Usage: The word of managers who must trim big promises.
- Example: “A realistic deadline gives the team room to test the product.”
14. Practicable
IPA: /ˈpræktɪkəbəl/
- Definition: Able to be put into practice successfully.
- Usage: Formal cousin of feasible, common in legal writing.
- Example: “The rule applies as soon as it is practicable to do so.”
15. Manageable
IPA: /ˈmænɪdʒəbəl/
- Definition: Able to be handled or controlled without being overwhelmed.
- Usage: Suits workloads, costs and stages of a project.
- Example: “She split the syllabus into manageable weekly parts.”
16. Promising
IPA: /ˈprɑːmɪsɪŋ/
- Definition: Showing signs of future success or good results.
- Usage: Adds optimism, which possible never carries on its own.
- Example: “The trial produced promising results in the first month.”
17. Thinkable
IPA: /ˈθɪŋkəbəl/
- Definition: Able to be considered or entertained as an idea.
- Usage: Rare and mostly seen beside its negative, unthinkable.
- Example: “A merger was barely thinkable five years ago.”
18. Within reach
IPA: /wɪˈðɪn riːtʃ/
- Definition: Close enough to be gained with effort that is now available.
- Usage: A warm phrase for goals, scores and finish lines.
- Example: “After the grant arrived, the new library was within reach.”
Sources: Merriam-Webster, Cambridge Dictionary, Dictionary.com
From Possible to Certain: A Likelihood Ladder
Writers often treat these words as equal, but readers feel them as steps on a ladder. Place your word on the right step and your sentence gains precision.
| Word | Strength of Likelihood | Best Used When |
|---|---|---|
| conceivable | Lowest, only imagination supports it | You cannot rule it out at all. |
| possible | Low, it could happen | Chances are real but unknown. |
| plausible | Low to middle, it sounds believable | A claim or story needs testing. |
| likely | High, more expected than not | Signs point in one direction. |
| probable | Higher, evidence supports it | You write reports, news or analysis. |
| almost certain | Very high, only surprises remain | Preparation is nearly complete. |
| certain | Complete, no doubt remains | The fact is settled or scheduled. |
The ladder also works in reverse. When your evidence only shows possible, honest editing means stepping down from probable.
Which Word Should You Use?
Match the word to the job your sentence is doing.
| If you want to… | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Approve a plan in a formal report | feasible | It judges cost, time and resources, not mere chance. |
| Say a business or system can survive | viable | It focuses on long term working health. |
| Encourage someone toward a goal | achievable | It praises effort and keeps motivation high. |
| Predict an event with good evidence | probable | It signals strong likelihood, not a guess. |
| Offer a story or excuse that sounds believable | plausible | It covers appearance, not proven truth. |
| Answer casually in conversation | doable | It sounds friendly and relaxed. |
| Describe a future role or talent | potential | It points to what something may become. |
Possible and Opposite or Paired Word Pairs
Possible belongs to a family of words that mostly form their opposites with a prefix, which makes the pairs easy to learn.
| Word | Paired Word | Note |
|---|---|---|
| possible | impossible | The classic pair, marking the full range of chance. |
| probable | improbable | Improbable still allows a sliver of chance. |
| plausible | implausible | Used when a story fails the test of belief. |
| practicable | impracticable | Formal pair for plans that cannot be carried out. |
| attainable | unattainable | Common for goals, standards and records. |
Notice that impossible is absolute while improbable is not. Careful writers keep that difference.
Common Word Partners of “possible”
Possible rarely travels alone. These partnerships appear again and again in careful writing.
| Pattern | Common Partners | Example |
|---|---|---|
| as … as possible | as soon as, as much as, as early as | “Reply as soon as possible, please.” |
| possible to plus verb | arrange, complete, visit, imagine | “It is possible to visit the site on Sundays.” |
| if possible | clause openers in requests | “If possible, bring the signed copy with you.” |
| make it possible | technology, funding, planning | “The grant made it possible to hire a nurse.” |
| a possible plus noun | candidate, cause, explanation, outcome | “One possible outcome is a tie.” |
Established Expressions Featuring “possible”
Possible has few true idioms of its own, and honesty requires saying so. What it does have is a set of established expressions used in offices, letters and polite requests.
1. As Soon As Possible
- Meaning: At the earliest time that circumstances allow.
- Example: “Please send the invoice as soon as possible.”
2. If At All Possible
- Meaning: A softener that asks for something while admitting it may not happen.
- Example: “If at all possible, we would love a window seat.”
3. Humanly Possible
- Meaning: Within the limits of what a person can do.
- Example: “We did everything humanly possible to save the crop.”
4. Where Possible
- Meaning: In every case in which it can be done, common in guidelines.
- Example: “Where possible, cite the original study.”
Common Word Choice Mistakes
- Wrong: “It is possible to rain tonight.” Better: “It is possible that it will rain tonight.” Possible to needs an action that a person or thing performs, while weather takes the that clause.
- Wrong: “It is probable that the package is somewhere in the building.” Better: “It is possible that the package is somewhere in the building.” Probable claims strong likelihood, so save it for cases with evidence.
- Wrong: “Success is more possible now.” Better: “Success is more likely now.” Possible works like a gate, open or shut, so it takes comparatives poorly.
- Wrong: “The battery stores possible energy.” Better: “The battery stores potential energy.” Potential energy is the fixed science term, and fixed terms should not be swapped.
- Wrong: “Is possible to change my seat?” Better: “Is it possible to change my seat?” English questions with possible still need the subject it.
- Wrong: “We need a possible plan by Monday.” Better: “We need a feasible plan by Monday.” When cost and time decide the matter, feasible asks the sharper question.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is another word for possible?
The best general alternatives are feasible, viable, achievable, likely and potential. The right choice depends on whether your sentence judges a plan, predicts an event or describes a quality.
What is the difference between possible and probable?
Possible means something can happen. Probable means it is very likely, because evidence supports it. A lottery win is possible for every ticket holder, but probable for none of them.
What is the difference between possible and feasible?
Possible asks whether anything prevents a thing. Feasible asks whether time, money and resources allow it in practice. A summit climb is possible for many people, but feasible only for trained climbers.
Is doable a formal word?
No. Doable is friendly and informal, ideal for conversation. In reports, contracts and academic writing, choose feasible, practicable or achievable instead.
What is the opposite of possible?
The opposite is impossible, meaning unable to happen or be done. Near cousins include impracticable for plans and unattainable for goals.
Can possible be used as a noun?
Rarely. In older sporting usage, a possible meant a person who might be selected. In modern writing the noun you want is possibility.
Which is stronger, likely or possible?
Likely is stronger. Rain tomorrow is possible when the chance is small, but likely only when the chance passes the halfway mark in the mind of the speaker.
What does as soon as possible mean?
It means at the earliest moment that circumstances honestly allow. Polite writers use it for requests, though in offices it carries a note of urgency.
What is a formal word for possible?
Practicable and feasible are the most respected formal choices. Practicable suits official and legal prose, while feasible is standard in business reports.
Related Articles
- another word for favorable
- another word for realistic
- another word for versatile
- another word for uncommon
Conclusion
Possible will always be a useful word, because life is full of honest uncertainty. But trusted writers measure that uncertainty with care. When a plan must survive budgets and calendars, feasible and realistic do the heavy lifting. When an outcome must be predicted, likely and probable carry the weight of evidence.
Keep exploring the family of choice words on this site. If you judge options by tone, read another word for favorable next, and if rare outcomes fascinate you, the guide to another word for uncommon pairs naturally with this one. Small words, chosen well, change whole sentences.
I’m Falak Naaz, an SEO writer specializing in English vocabulary and alternative words. I create clear, engaging, and search-friendly content covering synonyms, antonyms, word alternatives, meanings, and usage. Through careful research and practical examples, I help readers find the right words for different contexts, strengthen their vocabulary, and communicate with greater clarity and confidence.