improbable
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of improbable
From the Latin word improbābilis, dating back to 1590–1600. See im- 2, probable
Explanation
Your parents might tell you it's improbable that they'll buy you a car when you turn 16. Since improbable means something is unlikely but not impossible, your optimism allows you to keep hoping. The adjective improbable also means statistically unlikely to happen. You might be afraid to fly, but the odds of a plane crash are so low that such an event is improbable. Improbable also means something that is so outrageous that you'd never admit you believed in it. You know the existence of the Loch Ness Monster is improbable, but that doesn't stop you from looking for it when you travel to Scotland.
Vocabulary lists containing improbable
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 20–25
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"A Quilt of a Country," Vocabulary from the argument
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"A Quilt of a Country" by Anna Quindlen
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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.
While many were due to duplicate entries or deceased voters, some were also flagged by computer programs for having especially large families or improbable age gaps between parents and children.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has DP World racing to reroute cargo around a bottleneck that once seemed improbable.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
And there's the allegation that Diana had said the King was in love with his valet, which the author himself says seemed improbable.
From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026
Deep in its territory, just before the half, it stunned USC by turning an improbable fake punt into a 44-yard gain.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
Water, sails, blue sky and suspended gulls flashed by like an improbable postcard, and we were across.
From "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath
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.
