might: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Extremely high (A1 for modal, B2 for noun)Modal: all registers. Noun: formal/literary.
Quick answer
What does “might” mean?
Modal verb expressing possibility, permission, or polite suggestion.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Modal verb expressing possibility, permission, or polite suggestion; noun meaning strength or power.
As a modal: past tense of 'may' for reported speech; tentative suggestion; contrary-to-fact hypotheticals. As a noun: physical/mental strength; military power.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. Noun 'might' slightly more common in UK formal/literary contexts. In spoken requests, US speakers may use 'might' less frequently than UK speakers for extreme politeness.
Connotations
UK: In questions ('Might I?'), can sound very formal or even archaic/overly polite. US: Similar formality, sometimes perceived as affected.
Frequency
Modal use is equally frequent. Noun use ('with all his might') is low-frequency in both but slightly higher in UK English in certain fixed phrases.
Grammar
How to Use “might” in a Sentence
MIGHT + bare infinitiveMIGHT + have + past participleMIGHT + be + -ingMIGHT + not + infinitiveVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “might” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- I might pop round later if that's convenient.
- One might consider that rather presumptuous.
American English
- I might stop by later if that's okay.
- You might want to check that again.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used for tentative projections ('Sales might improve').
Academic
Used for hedging claims ('This might suggest...').
Everyday
Common for possibility ('It might rain') and polite suggestions ('You might want to...').
Technical
Rare; used for speculative outcomes in reports.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “might”
- *I might to go. (Correct: I might go.)
- *It might happens. (Correct: It might happen.)
- Using 'might' in past time contexts without 'have' (Incorrect: *Yesterday I might go. Correct: Yesterday I might have gone.)
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Might' often suggests a slightly more remote or tentative possibility than 'may'. In reported speech, 'might' is the past of 'may'. In practice, they are often interchangeable for present/future possibility.
As a modal verb for possibility, it's neutral. In questions ('Might I?'), it is very formal/polite. As a noun ('military might'), it is formal/literary.
Yes, but you need the perfect infinitive: 'might have + past participle' (e.g., 'He might have seen us').
This is a fixed subjunctive expression meaning 'however hard I try'. It uses the older, volitional sense of 'might' (expressing effort/ability).
Modal verb expressing possibility, permission, or polite suggestion.
Might: in British English it is pronounced /maɪt/, and in American English it is pronounced /maɪt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “might is right”
- “with might and main”
- “a might (bit) (US informal)”
- “try as I might”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
MIGHT rhymes with LIGHT – think of a 'might' (possibility) as a faint light, not a certainty.
Conceptual Metaphor
POSSIBILITY IS A FORCE (noun) / POTENTIAL IS A PATH (modal).
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'might' used as a noun?