As an adjective (as in "potential losses", "potential benefits", etc.), potential usually means simply "possible". POTENTIAL definition: 1. possible when the necessary conditions exist: 2.

Understanding the Context

someone's or something's ability to develop…. Learn more. In physics, a potential may refer to the scalar potential or to the vector potential. In either case, it is a field defined in space, from which many important physical properties may be derived.

Key Insights

POTENTIAL definition: possible, as opposed to actual. See examples of potential used in a sentence. If you say that someone or something has potential for doing a particular thing, you mean that it is possible they may do it. If there is the potential for something, it may happen. Potential energy, stored energy that depends upon the relative position of various parts of a system.

Final Thoughts

For example, a steel ball has more potential energy raised above the ground than it has after falling to Earth. Learn more about potential energy in this article. If you can describe something as possible but not yet actual, choose the adjective potential. Companies try to reach potential customers through advertising. Definition of potential noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

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