improbable

adjective

im·​prob·​a·​ble (ˌ)im-ˈprä-bə-bəl How to pronounce improbable (audio)
-ˈpräb-bəl
: unlikely to be true or to occur
also : unlikely but real or true
improbably
(ˌ)im-ˈprä-bə-blē How to pronounce improbable (audio)
-ˈpräb-blē
adverb

Examples of improbable in a Sentence

The team made an improbable comeback. it seems improbable that the two writers never met since they traveled in the same social circles
Recent Examples on the Web An improbable buzzer-beater ended one of the Bay Area’s great high school basketball runs. Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2024 The song that resulted in this frantic, logistically improbable session is stirring but callow, with a gospel-style chord progression that gives false weight to the platitudinous lyrics. Rob Tannenbaum, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2024 Pundits told improbable stories about her resilience. Cynthia Greenlee, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Feb. 2024 Brandon Aiyuk delivered with an improbable catch that helped save San Francisco's season. Josh Dubow, USA TODAY, 29 Jan. 2024 Conservationists reclaimed the riverbank to create improbable oases, like Starlight Park, hugging the Sheridan Expressway near East 173rd Street. Sam Roberts, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2024 Set in an age when the Targaryen line still holds the Iron Throne and the memory of the last dragon has not yet passed from living memory, great destinies, powerful foes and dangerous exploits all await these improbable and incomparable friends. Erik Kain, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024 But the bigger stakes are in the Mountain West race, handing Utah State (22-5, 10-4) the inside track to a most improbable regular-season title after being picked ninth in the preseason media poll. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Feb. 2024 This was was the most improbable of their championships. Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 12 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'improbable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle French or Latin; Middle French, from Latin improbabilis, from in- + probabilis probable

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of improbable was in 1598

Dictionary Entries Near improbable

Cite this Entry

“Improbable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/improbable. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

improbable

adjective
im·​prob·​a·​ble (ˈ)im-ˈpräb(-ə)-bəl How to pronounce improbable (audio)
: not probable : unlikely to be true or to occur
improbably adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on improbable

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!