may very well be

USAGE SUMMARY

"may very well be" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to show that something is likely to be true, often with a slight hesitation or doubt. Example: I think this project may very well be a success.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It may very well be higher.

The New Yorker

That may very well be the case.

The New York Times

We may very well be.

Yale University

AK: That may very well be true.

The Guardian - Film

In fact, we may very well be doing harm.

The New York Times

And those meanings may very well be there.

The Guardian - Books

They are my age, and may very well be clones.

The Guardian - Books

I may very well be wrong about this.

The Guardian

Ventura may very well be out for only two weeks.

The New York Times - Sports

That may very well be the way things are.

The Guardian - Opinion

And it may very well be an act of genius.

The Guardian - Music

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "may very well be" to express a strong possibility, but acknowledge uncertainty. It is often more impactful than a simple "may be".

Common error

Avoid using "may very well be" when you want to express absolute certainty. Choose stronger verbs like "will" or "is" instead. For example, don't say "The sun may very well rise tomorrow" when you can confidently say "The sun will rise tomorrow".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "may very well be" functions as a modal auxiliary verb phrase, used to express a strong degree of possibility or likelihood. As Ludwig AI indicates, it is a grammatically correct construction that suggests something is quite probable.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Academia

15%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "may very well be" is a versatile phrase used to express a strong possibility or likelihood. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is grammatically sound and widely used across various contexts, particularly in News & Media and Academia. While it indicates a high probability, it stops short of absolute certainty. For situations demanding unequivocal statements, stronger alternatives should be considered. When aiming to convey a considerable likelihood with a touch of reservation, "may very well be" stands as a strong and suitable option.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

could very well be

Replaces "may" with "could", suggesting a slightly weaker possibility.

might very well be

Substitutes "may" with "might", indicating a similar level of possibility as "could".

may quite possibly be

Adds emphasis with "quite possibly", strengthening the likelihood.

it is quite possible that

Similar to "may quite possibly be", but uses a different grammatical structure.

may indeed be

Uses "indeed" to confirm the possibility with a tone of affirmation.

could conceivably be

Employs "conceivably" to highlight that something is within the realm of possibility, though perhaps not probable.

it is not unlikely that

Uses a double negative to affirm the possibility, often adding a nuance of surprise.

it is likely to be

Changes the structure to a more straightforward statement of likelihood.

it is probable that

Expresses a higher degree of certainty than "may very well be".

it's quite on the cards

An idiomatic expression indicating a reasonable possibility.

FAQs

How can I use "may very well be" in a sentence?

Use "may very well be" to indicate a strong possibility or likelihood. For example, "The project "may very well be" completed on time if we continue at this pace".

What phrases are similar to "may very well be"?

Alternatives include "could very well be", "might very well be", or "likely to be". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to use "may very well be" in formal writing?

Yes, "may very well be" is appropriate for formal writing. It's frequently found in news articles, academic papers, and professional reports.

What's the difference between "may be" and "may very well be"?

"May be" indicates a simple possibility, while "may very well be" suggests a stronger likelihood. The addition of "very well" adds emphasis.