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
Matt Shaw was 1-for-13 in his first four games at Iowa, so the rookie who started in Japan is unlikely to return from Des Moines any time soon.
—
Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2025
Yet such clashes are unlikely as regular-season games in the U.S.
—Adam Crafton, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
Mark Carney's Liberal Party is predicted to win this week's general election in Canada, but is unlikely to win a landslide, according to recent polling.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025
Bondi signaled late last month that any criminal investigation into the matter was unlikely.
—Katherine Faulders, ABC News, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unlikely
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Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2025
Yet such clashes are unlikely as regular-season games in the U.S.
—Adam Crafton, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
Mark Carney's Liberal Party is predicted to win this week's general election in Canada, but is unlikely to win a landslide, according to recent polling.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025
Bondi signaled late last month that any criminal investigation into the matter was unlikely.
—Katherine Faulders, ABC News, 25 Apr. 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 3 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
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