What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Possible vs Chance - What's the difference?

possible | chance |

As an adjective possible

is (usually|not comparable) able but not certain to happen; neither inevitable nor impossible.

As a noun possible

is a possible one.

As a proper noun chance is

, an american pet form of chauncey, in modern usage also associated with the word chance.

possible

English

Adjective

(en-adj)
  • (usually, not comparable) Able but not certain to happen; neither inevitable nor impossible.
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=8 , passage=The humor of my proposition appealed more strongly to Miss Trevor than I had looked for, and from that time forward she became her old self again;
  • (comparable) Capable of being done or achieved; feasible.
  • * {{quote-book, 1901, Louis Freeland Smith, The Public, volume=4, page=438, pageurl=http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=inu.30000080738168&page=search;seq=444;view=image;num=438
  • , passage=And success in minor degree, in the sense in which he uses the term "success," is only somewhat more possible than success in winning the White House chair.}}
  • * {{quote-news, 1993, September 10, Lee Michael Katz, Expectant Mideast hopes to bear twin peace deals, USA Today, page=2A citation
  • , passage=Peace between Israel and the Arab countries is "more possible than any time before," says ex-Arab League U.N. ambassador Clovis Maskoud. }}
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-29, volume=407, issue=8842, page=72-3, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= A punch in the gut , passage=Mostly, the microbiome is beneficial. It helps with digestion and enables people to extract a lot more calories from their food than would otherwise be possible . Research over the past few years, however, has implicated it in diseases from atherosclerosis to asthma to autism.}}
  • Being considered, e.g. for a position.
  • Derived terms

    * as much as possible * ASAP (as soon as possible) * possibly

    Antonyms

    * (able but not certain to happen) certain, inevitable, impossible * (capable of being done) impossible

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A possible one
  • (colloquial, rare) A possible choice, notably someone being considered for a position.
  • Jones is a possible for the new opening in sales.
  • (rare) A particular event that may happen.
  • Synonyms

    * possibility * option

    Antonyms

    * impossible * no-go

    Statistics

    *

    Anagrams

    * 1000 English basic words ----

    chance

    English

    Alternative forms

    * chaunce (obsolete)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (countable) An opportunity or possibility.
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=2 , passage=Here was my chance . I took the old man aside, and two or three glasses of Old Crow launched him into reminiscence.}}
  • (uncountable) Random occurrence; luck.
  • (countable) The probability of something happening.
  • Derived terms

    (Terms derived from the noun "chance") * Buckley's chance * by chance * chance'd be a fine thing * chance fracture * chance-medley * chancer * chances are * chancy * Chinaman's chance * dog's chance * even chance * fair chance * fat chance * fighting chance * first-chance exception * game of chance * half a chance * happy chance * in with a chance * jump at the chance * last chance * last chance saloon * main chance * mum chance * not a chance * off chance/off-chance * outside chance * perchance * slim chance * smart chance * snowball's chance * snowball's chance in hell * sporting chance * stand a chance

    Verb

    (chanc)
  • (archaic) To happen by chance, to occur.
  • It chanced that I found a solution the very next day.
  • * Bible, Deuteronomy xxii. 6
  • if a bird's nest chance to be before thee
  • * Shakespeare
  • I chanced on this letter.
  • * 1843 , (Thomas Carlyle), '', book 2, ch. XV, ''Practical — Devotional
  • Once it chanced that Geoffrey Riddell (Bishop of Ely), a Prelate rather troublesome to (w), made a request of him for timber from his woods towards certain edifices going on at (Glemsford).
  • * 1847 , , (Jane Eyre), Chapter XVIII
  • Mr. Mason, shivering as some one chanced to open the door, asked for more coal to be put on the fire, which had burnt out its flame, though its mass of cinder still shone hot and red. The footman who brought the coal, in going out, stopped near Mr. Eshton's chair, and said something to him in a low voice, of which I heard only the words, "old woman,"—"quite troublesome."
  • (archaic) To befall; to happen to.
  • * 1826 , William Lambarde, A Perambulation of Kent
  • To try or risk.
  • Shall we carry the umbrella, or chance a rainstorm?
  • * W. D. Howells
  • Come what will, I will chance it.
  • To discover something by chance.
  • He chanced upon a kindly stranger who showed him the way.

    Derived terms

    * (l) * * (l)

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (rare) Happening]] by [[#Noun, chance, casual.
  • * 1859 , (Charles Dickens), (A Tale of Two Cities)'', ch. VI, ''The Shoe Maker (Heron Book Centenial Edition)
  • No crowd was about the door; no people were discernible at any of the many windows; not even a chance passer-by was in the street. An unnatural silence and desertion reigned there.

    References

    * *

    Statistics

    * 1000 English basic words ----