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Possibility vs Actuality - What's the difference?

possibility | actuality |

As nouns the difference between possibility and actuality

is that possibility is the quality of being possible while actuality is the state of existing; existence.

possibility

English

Noun

(possibilities)
  • The quality of being possible.
  • A thing possible; that which may take place or come into being.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-20, volume=408, issue=8845, magazine=(The Economist)
    • , title= The attack of the MOOCs , passage=Since the launch early last year of […] two Silicon Valley start-ups offering free education through MOOCs, massive open online courses, the ivory towers of academia have been shaken to their foundations. University brands built in some cases over centuries have been forced to contemplate the possibility that information technology will rapidly make their existing business model obsolete.}}
  • An option or choice, usually used in context with future events.

    • Synonyms

    * option * choice * contingency * See also

    Antonyms

    * impossibility

    Derived terms

    * logical possibility * possibility theory

    Related terms

    * impossibility * possible * potence * potency * potent * potentate * potential * potentiality * power

    External links

    * *

    actuality

    English

    Noun

    (actualities)
  • the state of existing; existence
  • the quality of being actual or factual; fact
  • (historical) a short early motion picture
    • By 1903, the actuality film had reached its peak; in 1903, the Edison and Biograph companies, combined, registered three hundred fifty one actuality films for copyright protection. By 1908 that number had dropped to two. The Variety Stage collection