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 most unlikely result is who speaks most plainly about the Kurds.
—
Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
That means American users’ experience on the app is unlikely to change in a visible way, although the algorithm that determines what videos are served to their feeds could shift as the new ownership group takes control.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2026
The diplomat also said that other major powers are unlikely to support the board in its current form.
—Arkansas Online, 23 Jan. 2026
At the very least, the MAHA strategy of picking fights against the nation’s primary care doctors, news outlets, and career officials is unlikely to inspire a resurgence of the public’s trust.
—Benjamin Mazer, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unlikely
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Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
That means American users’ experience on the app is unlikely to change in a visible way, although the algorithm that determines what videos are served to their feeds could shift as the new ownership group takes control.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2026
The diplomat also said that other major powers are unlikely to support the board in its current form.
—Arkansas Online, 23 Jan. 2026
At the very least, the MAHA strategy of picking fights against the nation’s primary care doctors, news outlets, and career officials is unlikely to inspire a resurgence of the public’s trust.
—Benjamin Mazer, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 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 27 Jan. 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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