Definitions for unlikely
ʌnˈlaɪk liun·like·ly

Princeton's WordNet(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. improbable, unlikelyadjective

   not likely to be true or to occur or to have occurred

   "legislation on the question is highly unlikely"; "an improbable event"

2. unlikelyadjective

   has little chance of being the case or coming about

   "an unlikely story"; "an unlikely candidate for reelection"; "a butcher is unlikely to preach vegetarianism"

3. improbable, unbelievable, unconvincing, unlikelyadjective

   having a probability too low to inspire belief

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. unlikelynoun

   Something or somebody considered unlikely.

2. unlikelyadverb

   In an improbable manner.

3. unlikelyadjective

   Not likely; improbable; not to be reasonably expected; as, an unlikely event; the thing you mention is very unlikely. Not holding out a prospect of success; likely to fail; unpromising; as, unlikely means.

   It's very unlikely that you'll be able to walk perfectly after being in a cast for six months.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Unlikelyadjective

   1. Improbable; not such as can be reasonably expected.

   Suspicion Mopsa; for a very unlikely envy she hath stumbled upon. Philip Sidney.

   2. Not promising any particular event.

   My advice and actions both have met
   Success in things unlikely. John Denham, Sophy.

   This collection we thought not only unlikely to reach the future, but unworthy of the present age. Jonathan Swift.

   Effects are miraculous and strange, when they grow by unlikely means. Richard Hooker.

2. Unlikelyadverb

   Improbably.

   The pleasures we are to enjoy in that conversation, not unlikely may proceed from the discoveries each shall communicate to another, of God and nature. Alexander Pope.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Unlikelyadjective

   not likely; improbable; not to be reasonably expected; as, an unlikely event; the thing you mention is very unlikely

2. Unlikelyadjective

   not holding out a prospect of success; likely to fail; unpromising; as, unlikely means

3. Unlikelyadjective

   not such as to inspire liking; unattractive; disagreeable

4. Unlikelyadverb

   in an unlikely manner

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'unlikely' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #1812

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'unlikely' in Written Corpus Frequency: #3176

3. Adjectives Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'unlikely' in Adjectives Frequency: #237

How to pronounce unlikely?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say unlikely in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of unlikely in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of unlikely in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1

Examples of unlikely in a Sentence

1. Mark Williams:

   In practice, because CIPS is limited to payments in [ yuan ], it is only currently used for transactions with China. Banks elsewhere are unlikely to turn to CIPS as a SWIFT workaround while Russia is an international pariah.

2. Carl Thayer:

   China's runways and military installations in the Spratlys are a direct challenge to Vietnam, particularly in their southern waters and skies, and they are showing they are prepared to respond to that threat, china is unlikely to see this as purely defensive, and it could mark a new stage of militarization of the Spratlys.

3. Sam Cooper:

   Overall the muddy waters in the data pool is unlikely to change market positioning and longtime sterling strength will rely on BoE expectations and trade developments.

4. Bob Neate:

   We have formed a view that it is unlikely that using a camera on its own would give us the evidence we need.

5. Stephen Innes:

   The OPEC induced oil rally has come to a grinding halt in the wake of the bearish to consensus API inventory swell, further OPEC cuts are unlikely the cure-all medicine. But by the numbers, the magnitude of the expected oversupply in 2020 is thought to be well within OPEC's ability to manage.

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