major possibility

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "major possibility" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate a significant chance or likelihood of something occurring. Example: "There is a major possibility that the event will be postponed due to the weather conditions."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

17 human-written examples

* While the Rays have turned around their season, they're still in a situation where trading Price before the 31 July deadline remains a major possibility.

The Guardian - Sport

It turned out — and still turns out — that people's economic intuition, if untutored by models, missed a major possibility that is in fact probably the main story.

The New York Times

America might have had a different president (a major possibility), and the Iraq and Afghanistan wars might never have happened (an even greater possibility).

The New York Times

Dr. Nicholas Fisk, a senior maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital in Australia, said he once considered early fetal pain "a major possibility" after finding that fetuses receiving blood transfusions produced increased stress hormones and blood flow to the brain, and that painkillers lowered those levels.

The New York Times - Health

One major possibility should immediately come to mind.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

Turbocharged SI engines are a major possibility in the current trend of down-sized engines with preserved drivability performance.

Annual Reviews in Control

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

We have, then, two major possibilities.

SEP

The results obtained open major possibilities for the rapid, comprehensive and objective analysis of delayed emesis.

Journal of Pharmacological and Toxicological Methods

No-one demurs when the TV presenter Lionel Fanthorpe tells the audience that the "major possibilities" for explaining strange things in the sky include parallel universes, extra-terrestrial life and "psychic phenomena".

BBC

While fairly simplistic, this helps to bound the scenarios and allows the planners to focus tightly on major possibilities.

Huffington Post

When they first came along, group and business pages on Facebook were an innovation that opened up some major possibilities.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "major possibility", consider the audience and context. In formal writing, more precise terms like "high likelihood" or "significant probability" may be preferred.

Common error

Avoid using "major possibility" when the outcome is highly uncertain. Instead, opt for phrases like "potential outcome" or "possible scenario" to reflect a lower degree of confidence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "major possibility" functions as a noun phrase that describes a situation or outcome that has a significant likelihood of occurring. It combines the adjective "major" to emphasize the importance or size of the possibility.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

35%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "major possibility" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to indicate a significant chance or likelihood of something occurring. According to Ludwig, it is most frequently found in "News & Media" and "Science" contexts. While generally acceptable, more formal alternatives like "high likelihood" or "significant probability" may be preferred in certain contexts. It's important to avoid overstating the certainty when using this phrase and to use more tentative language when the outcome is highly uncertain.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

significant chance

Focuses on the likelihood of something happening.

high likelihood

Emphasizes the probability of an event.

serious prospect

Highlights the importance and potential consequences of an event.

distinct probability

Stresses the clear and defined nature of the likelihood.

real potential

Focuses on the inherent capacity for something to occur or develop.

strong probability

Underscores the intensity of the likelihood.

substantial likelihood

Indicates a considerable degree of probability.

notable chance

Emphasizes that the chance is worthy of attention.

considerable prospect

Indicates that the event could have a significant impact.

plausible scenario

Implies that the possibility is believable and realistic.

FAQs

How can I use "major possibility" in a sentence?

You can use "major possibility" to indicate that something has a significant chance of occurring. For example: "There is a major possibility that the project will be delayed."

What can I say instead of "major possibility"?

You can use alternatives like "significant chance", "high likelihood", or "serious prospect" depending on the context.

Is "major possibility" formal or informal?

"Major possibility" is generally considered neutral but may be slightly less formal than terms like "high probability" or "significant likelihood".

What's the difference between "major possibility" and "minor possibility"?

"Major possibility" suggests a substantial likelihood of something happening, while "minor possibility" implies a low chance of occurrence.