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Synonyms

unlikely

American  
[uhn-lahyk-lee] / ʌnˈlaɪk li /

adjective

unlikelier, unlikeliest

  1. not likely to be or occur; improbable; marked by doubt.

  2. holding little prospect of success; unpromising; likely to fail.

    He is an unlikely candidate for reelection.

  3. not ingratiating; objectionable.

adverb

  1. in an unlikely way.

unlikely British  
/ ʌnˈlaɪklɪ /

adjective

  1. not likely; improbable

"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
unlikely Idioms  

  1. see in the unlikely event.

Other Word Forms

  • unlikeliness noun

Etymology

Origin of unlikely

First recorded in 1325–75, unlikely is from the Middle English word unlikli. See un- 1, likely

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.

The false signal was evident, because the ship broadcast the exact same coordinates for two days, which shipping experts say is highly unlikely under normal behavior.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

I think it’s very unlikely that the court will rule against the amendment.

From Slate • Apr. 24, 2026

Dr. Turyshev emphasizes that without a clear, testable prediction, additional experiments in the solar system are unlikely to yield new results.

From Science Daily • Apr. 24, 2026

Data analytics itself is unlikely to disappear, but it is evolving quickly.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 24, 2026

The warning came from an unlikely source, a girl named Emily who’d shared a cell with Sara the night before.

From "City Spies" by James Ponti

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.