Might Definition & Meaning

American

British

Usage

Related Words

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms might 1 American [mahyt] / maɪt /

auxiliary verb

1. simple past tense of may.

2. (used to express possibility).

   They might be at the station.

3. (used to express advisability).

   You might at least thank me.

4. (used in polite requests for permission).

   Might I speak to you for a moment?

might 2 American [mahyt] / maɪt /

noun

1. physical strength.

   He swung with all his might.

   Antonyms: weakness

2. superior power or strength; force.

   the theory that might makes right.

   Antonyms: weakness

3. power or ability to do or accomplish; capacity.

   the might of the ballot box.

   Antonyms: weakness

idioms

1. with might and main, with all the vigor, force, or energy at one's command.

   They pulled with might and main.

might 1 British / maɪt /

noun

1. power, force, or vigour, esp of a great or supreme kind

2. physical strength

3. See main 1

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 might 2 British / maɪt /

verb

1. making the past tense or subjunctive mood of may 1

   he might have come last night

2. (often foll by well) expressing theoretical possibility: he might well come . In this sense might looks to the future and functions as a weak form of may See may 1

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What’s the difference between might and may? Might and may can both be used as auxiliary verbs (helping verbs) that express possibility, as in We may/might have some left—let me check.Traditionally, might is considered a weaker form of may—meaning that it expresses a lower degree of possibility that something will happen. Some people might intend to use the two words this way, but in practical terms they are often interchangeable when used in this sense—they usually mean just about the same thing.May and might can also both be used in the context of permission, often as what’s thought to be a more polite substitute for can, as in May/Might I use your restroom? In responses to such questions, it’s usually may that’s used, as in Yes, you may. Saying might in such responses is often meant to make fun of such a use of the word in a way that’s sarcastic or that introduces a condition, usually one that’s not serious, as in Yes, you might, if you knew the password.May is sometimes used to express a wish, as in May you have success.Might is sometimes used to express advisability, as in You might ask before you barge in, you know.In its auxiliary verb sense, might can also be used as the past tense of may. It may seem strange to express possibility in the past tense (now that it is known whether or not something happened), but there are plenty of cases in which it makes sense to do it, such as when it’s still uncertain whether or not something could have happened, as in He might have had a chance to become CEO, but he decided to retire early or She might have come if you had actually invited her. Of course, the word may can also be used in the same way to indicate past tense (She may have come if you had actually invited her).Here’s an example of might and may used correctly in a sentence.Example: We might have been able to go today if it hadn’t rained, but in any case we may try to go again tomorrow.Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between might and may.

Related Words

See strength.

Other Word Forms

• mightless adjective

Etymology

Origin of might

First recorded before 900; Middle English myghte, Old English miht, meaht; cognate with German macht, Gothic mahts; akin to may 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Guns might be less lucrative than you think.

From The Wall Street Journal

The regime had held on for nearly half a century; it was too soon to know just how bloody its exit might be.

From Los Angeles Times

They might not know whether they'll get exhausted, if the weather will get worse, or how big the risk of a serious accident is.

From BBC

"If you imagine £120 for somebody that might be presenting 20 times, it is very little," she says.

From BBC

"He gives you all the information he thinks you need. It might be very little information -- in my case, it was three words -- and then he lets you run with it," he told AFP.

From Barron's

Related Words

• efficacy
• potency
• valor

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.