unlikely
adjective
un·like·ly
ˌən-ˈlī-klē 
1
: not likely : improbable
an unlikely outcome
2
: likely to fail : unpromising
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
Under an imperial decree, her captors become unlikely allies, guiding Jewish refugees through ambushes, shifting alliances and treacherous waters, while Sara confronts leadership, loyalty and love at a high cost.
—
Ben Croll, Variety, 29 Sep. 2025
However, the game rights change is contingent on the larger ESPN-NFL deal passing Department of Justice review, which seems increasingly unlikely to come before the NFL plots its 2026 calendar.
—Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 29 Sep. 2025
On the wing, losing Brown was a cap issue, so a trade for a veteran solution is unlikely.
—Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
An unlikely champion rescued her from this crisis.
—Judith Thurman, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unlikely
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Ben Croll, Variety, 29 Sep. 2025
However, the game rights change is contingent on the larger ESPN-NFL deal passing Department of Justice review, which seems increasingly unlikely to come before the NFL plots its 2026 calendar.
—Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 29 Sep. 2025
On the wing, losing Brown was a cap issue, so a trade for a veteran solution is unlikely.
—Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
An unlikely champion rescued her from this crisis.
—Judith Thurman, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unlikely
Cite this Entry
“Unlikely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unlikely. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share