Expresses that something might happen or be true, perhaps or under certain circumstances, but is not certain. Synonymous with 'vielleicht' (perhaps/maybe).
example
Möglicherweise komme ich heute Abend etwas später.
Possibly, I'll come a bit later this evening.
Usage tips
Word structure
The word is composed of 'möglich' (possible) and 'Weise' (way/manner). It literally means 'in a possible way' and therefore expresses a possibility or uncertainty.
EXAMPLE
Die Ursache für den Fehler ist möglicherweise ein Software-Update.
The cause of the error is possibly a software update.
Sentence position
'Möglicherweise' can stand in different positions in the sentence. If it is in position 1, the conjugated verb follows directly. If it is inside the sentence, the normal word order does not change.
EXAMPLE
Möglicherweise hat der Zug Verspätung.
Possibly, the train is delayed.
Register
'Möglicherweise' belongs more to written language or a more formal style. It is often found in news reports, reports, or official announcements.
EXAMPLE
Der Minister wird die Entscheidung möglicherweise morgen bekannt geben.
The minister will possibly announce the decision tomorrow.
Compare with
near_synonym · confusable
möglicherweise vs wohl
probably / well
'wohl' and 'möglicherweise' both show that something is not certain. But 'wohl' more often means that you consider something likely. 'möglicherweise' is more open: it only says that something can happen or can be true. So the chance can be smaller. Learners may therefore confuse the words if they understand both simply as expressing uncertainty. Remember: 'wohl' is closer to 'wahrscheinlich' (probably), while 'möglicherweise' is closer to 'vielleicht' (maybe).
möglicherweise
Morgen müssen wir möglicherweise einen neuen Termin beim Arzt machen.
Tomorrow we may have to make a new appointment with the doctor.