N1 Uncertainty, Hedging, and Inference

~ないとも限かぎらない: meaning, usage and examples

~ないとも限かぎらない means: it's not impossible that... / ...might...

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. 油断ゆだんしていると、負まけないとも限かぎらない。

   If you let your guard down, you might just lose.

2. この天気てんきだと、午後ごごから雨あめが降ふらないとも限かぎらない。

   With this weather, it's not impossible that it will rain in the afternoon.

3. 古ふるい建物たてものなので、大おおきな地震じしんで倒たおれないとも限かぎらない。

   It's an old building, so it could collapse in a big earthquake.

4. 誰だれが聞きいていないとも限かぎらないから、ここで話はなすのはやめよう。

   Someone might be listening, so let's not talk about it here.

When to use it

Means "it is not certain that X won't happen," so X just might happen. It is used to point out an unlikely but real risk, usually as a reason to be careful or prepare. It literally means "it is not limited to not happening." Example: 「事故じこが起おきないとも限かぎらないから、保険ほけんに入はいっておこう」.

Nuance

Neutral register, used in speech and writing. The possibility is usually unwelcome (accidents, mistakes, being overheard), and the sentence often continues with a precaution: から気きをつけよう, ので確認かくにんしておく. Rarely used for good things.

Compare

かもしれない simply states a possibility: 雨あめが降ふるかもしれない. ないとも限かぎらない stresses that you cannot rule it out, so you should prepare: 雨あめが降ふらないとも限かぎらないので、傘かさを持もっていこう. ないものでもない is about something being possible to do, not about a risk.

Tip: The verb is negative but the meaning is positive: 負まけないとも限かぎらない means "we might lose." Add a precaution after it.