probable
Americanadjective
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likely to occur or prove true.
He foresaw a probable business loss. He is the probable writer of the article.
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having more evidence for than against, or evidence that inclines the mind to belief but leaves some room for doubt.
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affording ground for belief.
adjective
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likely to be or to happen but not necessarily so
-
most likely
the probable cause of the accident
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of probable
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin probābilis likely, literally, capable of standing a test, equivalent to probā ( re ) to test ( see probe) + -bilis -ble
Compare meaning
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Explanation
If it's probable, then odds are it's going to come true. If rain is probable this weekend, you shouldn't plan a picnic. Things that are probable are probably going to happen; they're likely. Meteorologists are always trying to figure out what weather is probable, though they're often wrong. Sportscasters and gamblers try to guess the probable outcome of big games. You can also call a candidate for a job or political office who's likely to get the position a probable — they've probably got the job in the bag.
Vocabulary lists containing probable
Week 5: Scientific Viewpoints
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Copernicus: The Revolutions of the Heavenly Bodies
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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.
In November 2025, a Ukrainian first-person-view drone used an AI-assisted guidance system to strike a probable Russian tank after the drone’s communications link with its operator was disrupted.
From Salon ● Sep. 24, 2026
The report agrees that this was the most probable source of the fire, due to an overheating electrical supply cable - although it remains unclear what exactly the electrical defect was.
From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026
Satellite imagery reviewed by the Center for Strategic and International Studies indicates “a clear surge in construction activity in 2026” and a shift “from active excavation toward probable internal construction.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
Swain expects future waves of humidity are probable in coming years.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
To avoid the probable fate of Mars 3, we wanted Viking to land in a place and time at which the winds were low.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
