possible

/ˈpɒs.ə.bəl/

//ˈpɒs.ə.bəl// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"possible" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“possible” has 11 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #438. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#438
frequency rank, English
4,417
“P” headwords
11
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Able but not certain to happen; neither inevitable nor impossible.

Corpus desk

Index EN-possible · possible · English

possible · rank #438 · 11 variants · 3 confusables

  • FREQ-CORE #438
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 3 pairs
  • VAR-MID 11 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,417
  • PHOTO-FINISH past

Nearest frequency peer: past (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “possible”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “possible” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

possible vs possibly
88% similar
possible vs Popsicle
63% similar
possible vs passable
75% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for possible
PropertyValue
Headwordpossible
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈpɒs.ə.bəl/
Letters8
Frequency rank#438
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “possible”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).possiblelands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “past” (#437), “wanted” (#439), “looks” (#436). Among 4,417 “P” headwords, “possible” is #438. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 11 spelling variants around possible (IPA /ˈpɒs.ə.bəl/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #438 among 4,417 “P” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for possible, with forms such as "opssible", "posible", and "posisble". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 3 confusable-pair relationships, "possibly", "Popsicle", "passable", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English possible, from Old French possible, from Latin possibilis (“possible”), from posse, possum (“to be able”); see power. Displaced Middle English acumendlic (“possible”), from Old English ācumendlīċ (“possible”). Compare also Old English mi… The correct English form is possible, spelled P-O-S-S-I-B-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Able but not certain to happen; neither inevitable nor impossible.
  2. 2
    Capable of being done or achieved; feasible.
  3. 3
    Being considered, e.g. for a position.
  4. 4
    Apparently valid, likely, plausible.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how possible appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Rain tomorrow is possible, but I wouldn't bet on it.
  2. It's not just possible, it's probable that there will be rain tomorrow.

Etymology

From Middle English possible, from Old French possible, from Latin possibilis (“possible”), from posse, possum (“to be able”); see power. Displaced Middle English acumendlic (“possible”), from Old English ācumendlīċ (“possible”). Compare also Old English mihtelīċ (“strong, capable, powerful, possible”), which was cognate with Old High German mahtlīh (“possible”) and Old Norse máttulígr (“mighty, possible”). Compare also Dutch mogelijk (“possible”) and German möglich (“possible”).

Synonyms

futurablepossible

Antonyms

impossible

This word in other languages

posible(Español)possible(Français)möglich(Deutsch)possível(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • opssible
  • posible
  • posisble
  • possable
  • possbile
  • possibble
  • possibel
  • possiblle
  • possilbe
  • ppossible
  • psosible

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of possible - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

opssible2posible1posisble2possable1possbile2possibble1possibel2possiblle1
Edit distance from "possible"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "possible"?
"possible" is spelled P-O-S-S-I-B-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpɒs.ə.bəl/.
What does "possible" mean?
As an adjective, "possible" means: Able but not certain to happen; neither inevitable nor impossible.
What words are commonly confused with "possible"?
"possible" is commonly confused with "possibly", "Popsicle", "passable". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "possible"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "possible" is /ˈpɒs.ə.bəl/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "possible"?
From Middle English possible, from Old French possible, from Latin possibilis (“possible”), from posse, possum (“to be able”); see power. Displaced Middle English acumendlic (“possible”), from Old English ācumendlīċ (“possible”). Compare also Old ... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "possible", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

question#448probably#425remember#417research#402

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (11 here; floor ≥5).

members11 variantsplaying11 variantsfucking11 variantsmorning11 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list