conceivablecon‧ceiv‧a‧ble /kənˈsiːvəbəl/ ●○○ AWL adjective 
It is conceivable that you may get full compensation, but it’s not likely. We were discussing the problems from every conceivable angle.—conceivably adverb: Conceivably, interest rates could rise very high indeed.
EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
- A conceivable problem for the Solo is its price - £39,850 is a lot to pay for an unknown quantity.
- And it probably always will, since no conceivable technology can prevent petroleum combustion from producing carbon dioxide.
- However, there are some conceivable risks of abuse.
- It is conceivable that we could solve all our problems.
- That left municipal water supply as the sole conceivable justification.
- The quotations go on in this vein for pages on end for every conceivable sort of occupation.
- The total energy given off is thousands of times more than any conceivable chemical reaction could produce.
Longman Language Activatormaterial for making clothes, curtains etc
use this when you think that something may happen or may be true, but you are not sure. Perhaps is more formal than maybe .: · "Will you be there tomorrow?" "I don't know, maybe."· I wonder why she's late - maybe she missed the train.· The footprints belonged to a large cat, a tiger, perhaps.· I'm not sure why I couldn't sleep. Perhaps it was the coffee.maybe not/perhaps not: · "It's not her fault that she can't get a job." "Well, maybe not, but she should make a little more effort."· Housing prices will continue to rise, though perhaps not as much as was predicted last year.
use this with other verbs, to show that something is possible, or likely, but you are not sure about it. May and might are more formal than could: · Take your umbrella -- it might rain.· Hundreds of workers may lose their jobs if the strike continues.· We could be home before midnight if the traffic isn't too bad.may/might/could have done something: · "Bruce isn't here yet." "He may have decided not to come."· It's a good thing we got her to the hospital right away -- the doctor said she could have died if we'd waited.
use this when you think that something may happen or may be done, but that it is not very likely: · I might have to work on Saturday, so it's possible I won't be able to come to your party.· There's a chance that I'll be in California in October, so I might be able to visit you for a few days.it is just possible (that)/there is just a chance (that) (=when something is possible, but very unlikely): · Tomorrow should be sunny but there's just a chance of showers in the afternoon.· It's just possible we'll finish the job by tonight, but it'll probably be tomorrow.outside chance/possibility: · Martinez will need surgery, but there's an outside chance he'll be playing again before the end of the season.slim chance/possibility: · Sims has some numbness and weakness in her legs, and surgeons say there is a slim possibility of paralysis.
use this when you think that something may be true, but you do not have enough information to be sure: · "Do you think she was murdered, inspector?" "Possibly."· He's playing in the US Open Golf Championships - possibly for the last time.· Stone is possibly America's finest film director.· The cancer was possibly caused by exposure to asbestos.· Trade between the two countries began in the 11th century, possibly even earlier.· Many analysts believe interest rates will rise, possibly as early as next spring.quite possibly (=very possibly): · The examination hall was vast, with at least 700 or 800 students and quite possibly as many as 1000.
if you think something may conceivably happen or be true, it seems unlikely but you can imagine that it is possible: · Reservations are advised but you might conceivably find a hotel the day you arrive.· It is still unlikely, but unemployment could conceivably begin to fall by the end of the year.
spoken say this when you are not sure whether something will happen, because no one knows what will happen in the future: · I don't think I'll ever get married, but you never know.· Why don't you ask for a raise? You never know, they could say yes.
spoken say this when you have no way of knowing whether something is true or not true: · "Will you still be working here next year?" "Who knows? Maybe I will, maybe I won't."· Maybe he wasn't telling the truth. Who knows?
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY It is conceivable that you may get full compensation, but it’s not likely. We were discussing the problems from every conceivable angle.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN
It is conceivable that you may get full compensation, but it’s not likely. We were discussing the problems from every conceivable angle.· Over two hundred kinds of squid are eaten in every conceivable way from raw to pickled.· In every possible conceivable way, men are wounded.· But in every other conceivable way that action was entirely wrong.· There is no conceivable way in which educational integration can occur within such a scenario.
WORD FAMILYnounconceptionadjectiveconceivable ≠ inconceivableverbconceive
able to be believed or imagined OPP inconceivable: It is conceivable that you may get full compensation, but it’s not likely. We were discussing the problems from every conceivable angle.—conceivably adverb: Conceivably, interest rates could rise very high indeed.