unlikely
adjective
un·like·ly
ˌən-ˈlī-klē 
1
: not likely : improbable
an unlikely outcome
2
: likely to fail : unpromising
an unlikely place to see much wildlife
Examples of unlikely in a Sentence
He was an unlikely candidate for the position.
A big city seems like an unlikely place to find wildlife.
I received support from an unlikely ally.
Recent Examples on the Web
The magazine’s second editor was nonetheless a Gernsback ally, the unlikely electrical engineer and former editor of Scientific American Thomas O’Connor Sloane.
—
Literary Hub, 10 Apr. 2026
That dedication, paired with a fierce competitive streak, elevated her to an unlikely peak.
—Nicole Bennett, AJC.com, 10 Apr. 2026
Sitting down with Variety – Chanelle, Yewon, Athena and Keena present, with Hana absent – the four members are warm, considered and, through an interpreter where needed, precise about what drew them to such unlikely territory.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 10 Apr. 2026
Companies from Amazon to airlines have announced fuel surcharges to deal with the soaring costs, and many of those fees are unlikely to revert to pre-war levels.
—Rob Wile, NBC news, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unlikely
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Literary Hub, 10 Apr. 2026
That dedication, paired with a fierce competitive streak, elevated her to an unlikely peak.
—Nicole Bennett, AJC.com, 10 Apr. 2026
Sitting down with Variety – Chanelle, Yewon, Athena and Keena present, with Hana absent – the four members are warm, considered and, through an interpreter where needed, precise about what drew them to such unlikely territory.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 10 Apr. 2026
Companies from Amazon to airlines have announced fuel surcharges to deal with the soaring costs, and many of those fees are unlikely to revert to pre-war levels.
—Rob Wile, NBC news, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unlikely
Cite this Entry
“Unlikely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unlikely. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unlikely
adjective
un·like·ly
ˌən-ˈlī-klē
ˈən-
1
: not likely : improbable
an unlikely story
2
: likely to fail : unpromising
an unlikely place for fishing
unlikeliness
noun
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