likelihood

or like·li·ness

[ lahyk-lee-hood ]

/ ˈlaɪk liˌhʊd /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for likelihood on Thesaurus.com

noun

the state of being likely or probable; probability.

a probability or chance of something: There is a strong likelihood of his being elected.

Archaic. indication of a favorable end; promise.

QUIZ

FIRE UP YOUR VOCAB FOR A "RED" SYNONYMS QUIZ

No fire engine reds here, only a fierce collection of vibrant words for the color red to test yourself on.

Question 1 of 7

What does "amaranth" mean?

a legendary stone of impenetrable hardness

an imaginary, undying flower

a mythical creature

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Meet Grammar Coach

Write or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar help

Improve Your Writing

Meet Grammar CoachImprove Your Writing

Origin of likelihood

First recorded in 1350–1400, likelihood is from the Middle English word liklihood.See likely, -hood

OTHER WORDS FROM likelihood

su·per·like·li·hood, noun

Words nearby likelihood

like gangbusters, like greased lightning, like hell, like hot cakes, go, like it or lump it, likelihood, likely, likely as not, like mad, like-minded, liken

How to use likelihood in a sentence

We typically focus on the most trafficked pages to increase the likelihood of big, impactful wins.
How to drive digital innovation necessary during the pandemic|Nick Chasinov|September 16, 2020|Search Engine Watch
That will also up the likelihood of uncovering material suitable for radiocarbon dating and revealing the age of the earthworks.
Drones find signs of a Native American ‘Great Settlement’ beneath a Kansas pasture|Bruce Bower|September 10, 2020|Science News
He says in all likelihood research will confirm the link to climate change in the future, even though there’s not enough evidence right now.
Slow, meandering hurricanes are often more dangerous—and they’re getting more common|Greta Moran|September 9, 2020|Popular-Science
Not to mention, the likelihood that people can comfortably wear a mask while exercising heavily is pretty slim.
The safest ways to exercise during a pandemic|Sara Kiley Watson|September 9, 2020|Popular-Science

There is a high likelihood the adverse event will turn out not to be related to the vaccine, he said in an email.
Some scientists downplay significance of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine trial halt|Claire Zillman, reporter|September 9, 2020|Fortune
Having a criminal record can reduce the likelihood of getting a callback or job offer by 50 percent.
His First Day Out Of Jail After 40 Years: Adjusting To Life Outside|Justin Rohrlich|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
In all likelihood this last option is what we will get for the foreseeable future.
In the Middle East, the Two-State Solution Is Dead|Dean Obeidallah|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The grand jury will in all likelihood side with Wilson here.
Why Darren Wilson Will Walk|Dean Obeidallah|November 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In all likelihood, the pronouncement of death will likely include even more gray area in the future.
What It’s Like to Wake Up Dead|Dr. Anand Veeravagu, MD, Tej Azad|November 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For the overwhelming majority of people in this country, the likelihood of contracting it is fleetingly small.
Parents’ Ebola Panic Is Taking Over My Clinic|Russell Saunders|October 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Eve, too, lovely as she is, seems to bear no likelihood of resemblance to Milton's superb mother of mankind.
Women in the fine arts, from the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentieth Century A.D.|Clara Erskine Clement
Complaint against Mr. Cosson would in all likelihood prove futile.
Prison Memoirs of an Anarchist|Alexander Berkman
The main chance with her seemed to lie in the likelihood that she would find a mother (or a father) in Aunt Maria.
Overland|John William De Forest
There was some likelihood in this tale; for another of that fleet lay sunk on the north side, twenty miles from Grisapol.
The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson, Volume XXI|Robert Louis Stevenson
After breakfast I would have a swim when the tide was low and there was no likelihood of sharks being about.
The Adventures of Louis de Rougemont|Louis de Rougemont

British Dictionary definitions for likelihood

likelihood

likeliness (ˈlaɪklɪˌnɪs)

/ (ˈlaɪklɪˌhʊd) /

noun

the condition of being likely or probable; probability

something that is probable

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 likelihoodSee also maximum likelihood

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

likelihood

or like·li·ness

Origin of likelihood

OTHER WORDS FROM likelihood

Words nearby likelihood

Words related to likelihood

How to use likelihood in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for likelihood

likeliness (ˈlaɪklɪˌnɪs)