improbability
Americannoun
-
the quality or condition of being improbable; unlikelihood.
-
something improbable or unlikely.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of improbability
First recorded in 1590–1600; improbable + -ity
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.
One posits the existence of billions of universes, arguing that happenstance alone accounts for the improbability of our inhabiting this one.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026
"The inherent improbability that such a large number of journalists would do that should be borne in mind," White argued.
From Barron's • Jan. 20, 2026
I wish I could tell you I respected the improbability of the windfall by immediately retreating to my suite.
From Slate • Nov. 18, 2025
Such improbability is what propelled the Club 27 myth to prominence, and subsequent deaths — especially Kurt Cobain’s passing — continue to fuel its mystique, Dunivin said.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 5, 2024
If hindsight enhances our appreciation for the solidity and stability of the republican legacy, it also blinds us to the truly stunning improbability of the achievement itself.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
