unlikely

adjective

un·​like·​ly ˌən-ˈlī-klē How to pronounce unlikely (audio)
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
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.
Not cut out for heroics, inept ant soldiers Arnie and Barney decide to tackle the problem by themselves, inadvertently becoming the most unlikely of heroes in the process. Ed Meza, Variety, 19 May 2025 In markets like the U.S. and the U.K., government bonds have historically been considered safe investments, as the governments were considered highly unlikely to default on their debts. Chloe Taylor,holly Ellyatt,sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 19 May 2025 Prison officials in Costa Rica caught an unlikely suspect attempting to smuggle drugs behind bars last week. Sean Neumann, People.com, 19 May 2025 However, due to injuries suffered by Lucas Bergvall, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, this unlikely partnership should play together in Bilbao as Spurs attempt to win silverware for the first time since 2008. Mark Carey, New York Times, 19 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for unlikely

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unlikely was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unlikely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unlikely. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

unlikely

adjective
un·​like·​ly ˌən-ˈlī-klē How to pronounce unlikely (audio)
ˈən-
1
: not likely : improbable
an unlikely story
2
: likely to fail : unpromising
an unlikely place for fishing
unlikeliness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on unlikely

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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