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
Their precarious position is unlikely to improve massively any time soon, given a run of games against Manchester United, Brighton & Hove Albion, Aston Villa and Manchester City before Christmas.
—
Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 2 Dec. 2025
Cannabis use disorder is real, and a concern, but very unlikely to be a problem in the clinical setting.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Dec. 2025
Habba's nomination, however, was unlikely to win approval in the upper chamber, as New Jersey's two senators, Democrats Cory Booker and Andy Kim, opposed her nomination.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 1 Dec. 2025
Four games remain until what should be the 49ers’ fourth (and most unlikely) playoff trip in five years.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unlikely
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Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 2 Dec. 2025
Cannabis use disorder is real, and a concern, but very unlikely to be a problem in the clinical setting.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Dec. 2025
Habba's nomination, however, was unlikely to win approval in the upper chamber, as New Jersey's two senators, Democrats Cory Booker and Andy Kim, opposed her nomination.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 1 Dec. 2025
Four games remain until what should be the 49ers’ fourth (and most unlikely) playoff trip in five years.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 1 Dec. 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 4 Dec. 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
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