unlikely
Americanadjective
-
not likely to be or occur; improbable; marked by doubt.
-
holding little prospect of success; unpromising; likely to fail.
He is an unlikely candidate for reelection.
-
not ingratiating; objectionable.
adverb
adjective
Other Word Forms
- unlikeliness noun
Etymology
Origin of unlikely
First recorded in 1325–75, unlikely is from the Middle English word unlikli. See un- 1, likely
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It is unlikely that Saudi Arabia, the U.A.E. and other Gulf states will just keep absorbing Iranian blows for long, officials in the region said.
Lisowski won the first three frames of the evening session to threaten an unlikely comeback.
From BBC
Some of Mahmood's other proposed reforms would need to be passed into law following full parliamentary scrutiny and are therefore unlikely to come into force until later this year.
From BBC
The OPEC+ move "is unlikely to calm markets", he said.
From Barron's
“So the idea of them switching sides, I think, is unlikely.”
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
