maybe, perhaps and possibly

[diamondcutter]

The adverbs “maybe” “perhaps” and “possibly” all can be used to make predictions. I read that “maybe” and “perhaps” have the same meaning and the difference between them is that “maybe” is mainly used in AmE and “perhaps” is mainly used in BrE. What I want to know is whether “possibly” or “maybe” and “perhaps” express higher certainty when they are used to make predictions. Let’s take the following sentences as examples.

1. It was maybe their worst performance ever.
2. It was perhaps their worst performance ever.
3. It was possibly their worst performance ever.

Are the three sentences exchangeable?

 

[jutfrank]

None of those sentences are predictions.

 

[emsr2d2]

You can't make a prediction about something that's already happened, as is clearly the case given that all your sentences start "It was".

 

[diamondcutter]

I'd like to know what's the function of these adverbs: probably, maybe, perhaps and possibly? Guessing or reckoning?

 

[emsr2d2]

I'd like to know what's what the function of these adverbs is: probably, maybe, perhaps and possibly? Guessing or reckoning?

What have you found by looking each word up in a reputable dictionary, or (even better) on OneLook.com?

 

[jutfrank]

The function there is hedging. You want to say that the performance was very poor without saying unequivocally that it was actually the worst ever.

 

[diamondcutter]

Here’s what I found in an Oxford dictionary.

Probably, used to say that sth is likely to happen or to be true.
Maybe, used when you are not certain that sth will happen or that sth is true or is a correct number.
Perhaps, = possibly, maybe.
Possibly, = perhaps.

The dictionary is just doing a circular argument. That’s why I’m confused. The meaning of probably is very obvious, but would you tell me the difference among the rest three?

 

[Tdol]

I'd use probably for the most likely occurrence.

 

[5jj]

would you tell me the difference among between the rest remaining three?

I see no significant difference except that I never use maybe.