likelihood
Americannoun
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likelihoods
plural
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the state of being likely or probable; probability.
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a probability or chance of something.
There is a strong likelihood of his being elected.
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Archaic. indication of a favorable end; promise.
noun
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the condition of being likely or probable; probability
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something that is probable
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statistics the probability of a given sample being randomly drawn regarded as a function of the parameters of the population. The likelihood ratio is the ratio of this to the maximized likelihood See also maximum likelihood
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of likelihood
First recorded in 1350–1400, likelihood is from the Middle English word liklihood. See likely, -hood
Explanation
The likelihood of something means the odds that it will happen, or how likely a particular outcome is. Your likelihood of winning the lottery is pretty slim. If you figured out the likelihood of winning the lottery before you bought a scratch ticket, you might end up spending your money on something else. Likelihood indicates probability or chance. The likelihood that you'll convince your stubborn dog to get in your car completely depends on how many dog treats you've got in your pocket.
Vocabulary lists containing likelihood
Statistics and Probability - Middle School
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Because of Mr. Terupt
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Jacob Have I Loved
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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.
See Examples For:
David Tamayo, head of Colombia's disaster relief agency, acknowledged that the "likelihood of finding survivors is going to diminish" after Thursday.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
The market-implied likelihood of a hike at its September meeting is now around 35%, down from 55% a week ago according to CME FedWatch.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
“What it really does is increase the likelihood of particularly wet conditions starting in about late December and into January, February and March,” Swain said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
Air pollution may make rheumatoid arthritis more active and increase the likelihood of painful flare-ups, according to a new study.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 6, 2026
Entropy is a way of measuring just how disordered that state is and of determining the likelihood of particular outcomes with further shuffles.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
Humanoids tasked with performing multiple jobs use artificial intelligence and are “probabilistic,” meaning they operate on statistical likelihoods, not certainty.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026
The danger arises when people believe that the model is retrieving truth rather than generating likelihoods.
From Salon ● May 12, 2026
Defense departments around the world are preparing for higher likelihoods of conflict.
From Barron's ● Feb. 28, 2026
"We were given an endless list of likelihoods for Anna’s development and that they weren't going to be straightforward," she said.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2024
These likelihoods confirm her flight from hence, Therefore, I pray you, stay not to discourse, But mount you presently.
From The Prairie by James Fenimore Cooper
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.
