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likelihood

or like·li·ness

[ lahyk-lee-hood ]
/ ˈlaɪk liˌhʊd /
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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.
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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
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to likelihood

possibility, probability, prospect, tendency, trend, direction, liability, likeliness, plausibility, presumption, reasonableness, fair shake, fifty-fifty, fighting chance, long shot, shot at

How to use likelihood in a sentence

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
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