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