likelihood

noun

like·​li·​hood ˈlī-klē-ˌhu̇d How to pronounce likelihood (audio)
: the chance that something will happen : probability
There's very little likelihood of that happening. [=that is very unlikely to happen]
changes that in all likelihood will be made soon [=changes that are very likely to be made soon]
… a strong likelihood that he is correct …T. D. Anderson
The likelihood of instability might increase because of the economic crisis.Fareed Zakaria
… could reduce the likelihood of a fire in their convenience store by banning smoking in their building …Harriet E. Jones et al.

Examples of likelihood in a Sentence

There is a strong likelihood that he will be reelected. the weatherman on TV said that the likelihood of rain today was fairly high
Recent Examples on the Web This is, in all likelihood, that biggest rock show to play Concord in many years. Jim Harrington, The Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2024 Jobs for Arizona's Graduates, Phoenix, $7,500 To help more than 1,800 Arizona students and recent graduates improve their academic performance, increase their likelihood of graduating on time and prepare for success in college and careers. Alexis Waiss, The Arizona Republic, 17 Mar. 2024 The likelihood of tagging a bull shark was highest near the city of Daphne and along the western shoreline of the bay, according to the researchers. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 14 Mar. 2024 The European Space Agency (ESA) was also monitoring the pallet’s re-entry and estimated that some parts may reach the ground but that the likelihood of a person being hit were very low. Passant Rabie / Gizmodo, Quartz, 12 Mar. 2024 In fact, spending just one night at a moderate elevation, such as Denver, Colorado, which is at 5,280 feet (1,600 meters), has been shown to significantly reduce the likelihood of developing symptoms. Brian Strickland, Discover Magazine, 9 Mar. 2024 The central public space has no gates and can only be reached by passing through the housing blocks, a scheme designed to increase the likelihood of chance encounters. Oscar Holland, CNN, 5 Mar. 2024 But a loss in all likelihood extinguishes that dream. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2024 Biden and Trump are in all likelihood heading for a rematch in the 2024 U.S. president election. Todd Spangler, Variety, 8 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'likelihood.' 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

see likely entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of likelihood was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near likelihood

Cite this Entry

“Likelihood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/likelihood. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

likelihood

noun
like·​li·​hood ˈlī-klē-ˌhu̇d How to pronounce likelihood (audio)

More from Merriam-Webster on likelihood

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