unlikely
Americanadjective
-
not likely to be or occur; improbable; marked by doubt.
-
holding little prospect of success; unpromising; likely to fail.
He is an unlikely candidate for reelection.
-
not ingratiating; objectionable.
adverb
adjective
Other Word Forms
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.
SpaceX has such a lead on the launch competition that even that setback is unlikely to be damaging to its position.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026
Prices are unlikely to normalize until 2028, when additional LNG supply from the U.S. and Qatar is expected to come online, the analysts say.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026
But that means the waterway—which normally carries around 20% of the world’s oil traffic—is unlikely to be fully open before July at the earliest.
From Barron's • May 26, 2026
The advert for Betway featured a picture of ex-Arsenal forward and now pundit Thierry Henry, but the ASA said he was unlikely to appeal strongly to under-18s and therefore did not go against its code.
From BBC • May 26, 2026
Like something can be unlikely and still happen.
From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga
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.
