probable
Americanadjective
-
likely to occur or prove true.
He foresaw a probable business loss. He is the probable writer of the article.
-
having more evidence for than against, or evidence that inclines the mind to belief but leaves some room for doubt.
-
affording ground for belief.
adjective
-
likely to be or to happen but not necessarily so
-
most likely
the probable cause of the accident
noun
Other Word Forms
- nonprobable adjective
- nonprobably adverb
- quasi-probable adjective
- quasi-probably adverb
Etymology
Origin of probable
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin probābilis likely, literally, capable of standing a test, equivalent to probā ( re ) to test ( probe ) + -bilis -ble
Compare meaning
How does probable compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
Although he never won the World Championship, the highly probable notion that Hunter would have gone on to lift snooker's greatest prize in Sheffield is etched into the sport's folklore.
From BBC
The model repeatedly engages in a process called “next-token prediction,” where it learns to anticipate the most probable next word in a sequence.
From MarketWatch
Over time, it is probable that AI use will broaden out, and things like robotics and industrial automation will have more AI technology built in.
From Barron's
A four-day finish felt probable when Ben Duckett was out in the first over of England's chase and Ollie Pope is in huge danger of being dropped for the fourth Test after falling for 17.
From BBC
According to PTTEP, SK408 block has proven reserves of 29 million of barrels of oil equivalent and proved and probable reserves of 52 million barrels of oil equivalent.
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.
