Word Finder - may

definition

To be strong; to have power (over).

definition

(auxiliary) To be able; can.

definition

To be able to go.

definition

(modal auxiliary verb, defective) To have permission to, be allowed. Used in granting permission and in questions to make polite requests.

example

you may smoke outside;  may I sit there?

synonyms

• can
• could
• might

definition

(modal auxiliary verb, defective) Expressing a present possibility; possibly.

example

he may be lying;  Schrödinger's cat may or may not be in the box

synonyms

• could
• might

definition

(subjunctive present, defective) Expressing a wish (with present subjunctive effect).

example

may you win;  may the weather be sunny

synonyms

• might

definition

Used in modesty, courtesy, or concession, or to soften a question or remark.

May we come in?

Do you think they may have given up?

They may be too busy running.

You may follow me.

You may do as you wish.

May I wait here until then?

May I have this dance?

Let us be ready, for we may be sent for any minute.

You may be proud of it!

May I see to it?

May the kingdom of Heaven be his!

I may be the person who's having the visions but I can't do it alone.

May I call you Brenda?

You may send the gold pieces to your mother with my compliments; and tell her that the king will take care of both her and you.

It may take a few minutes, but he'll catch on.

May I read the book called the Bible?

May I have succeeded!'

And while it may not be perfect, life will be profoundly better for everyone on the planet.

May I?... asked Natasha.

You may believe the story that you like best.

May I speak to him?

You may come to America and be poor, but if you work hard, your children will have a better life and a better opportunity.

He has to believe you guys truly exist and he may guess some of your limits and capabilities.

I absolutely must see him, however painful it may be for me.

Then, on Friday those who have done the best may stand up and read their compositions to the school.

The mother dragon may come down and catch us here.

Oh, I'm a Wizard; you may be sure of that.

May I go at once?

If you want to, you may read it to my friends.

While such a sun holds out to burn, the vilest sinner may return.

We may waive just so much care of ourselves as we honestly bestow elsewhere.

But I may come again tomorrow?

What is remarkable in her career is already accomplished, and whatever she may do in the future will be but a relatively slight addition to the success which distinguishes her now.

And one person's solution may be another person's problem.

You may call or have friends over anytime you wish - as long as they don't interfere with your work.

Then we may be sure that he will never trouble us again.

I have thought that Walden Pond would be a good place for business, not solely on account of the railroad and the ice trade; it offers advantages which it may not be good policy to divulge; it is a good port and a good foundation.

So he may have something to drink?

On May 26th they arrived in Boston and went to the Perkins Institution; here Helen met the little blind girls with whom she had corresponded the year before.

May I come in?

May we examine some of these articles?

Be they many or few, you may have all for three pieces of silver.

The French at Vitebsk, in four days' march they may be at Smolensk; perhaps are already there!

It seems you may be romantically involved with this man.

Brandon may have considered his problem "stupid" at the ranch, but it obviously wasn't behind him.

You may bring mine with you.

They may have just moved to Alaska from another state.

Whatever he may tell me, I will do it.

I may have to work on improving that.

May I join you?