unlikely

adjective un·like·ly \ ˌən-ˈlī-klē \

Updated on: 13 May 2018

Definition of unlikely

1 : not likely : improbable

an unlikely outcome

2 : likely to fail : unpromising

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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 of unlikely from the Web

Sources cautioned that no deal was done, and that was unlikely to change on Monday night.

— dave clark, Cincinnati.com, "Report: Reds show interest in Mets pitcher Matt Harvey," 8 May 2018
Anxious evacuees had hoped to return to their homes Sunday to check on their property and pets, but that appeared unlikely, given the new flow.

— trevor hughes, USA TODAY, "Lava from Kilauea volcano destroys more homes on the Big Island," 7 May 2018
Once Again What Happened: The old order changeth once more for the president’s legal team, which saw one familiar face leave and another, particularly unlikely, familiar face come back into view.

— graeme mcmillan, WIRED, "While You Were Offline: Maybe Rudy Can Fail," 6 May 2018
Nearly 20 years later, El Chombo is back on the charts in spectacular, and unlikely, fashion, thanks to another novelty hit.

— Billboard, "Everything You Need to Know About El Chombo's Runaway Video Hit 'Dame Tu Cosita'," 4 May 2018
Pimentel’s family said that while they were crushed by the news that a trial is unlikely, they are galvanized to advocate for mental health and criminal justice reform.

— emilie eaton, San Antonio Express-News, "Man accused of killing Elmendorf police chief is insane, experts say, reducing the likelihood of trial," 2 May 2018
The Kremlin’s military spending made up 4.3 percent of its gross domestic product last year, and there are plans to cut it below 3 percent within five years, which could either be achieved through (a rather unlikely) economic growth or radical cuts.

— rick noack, Washington Post, "Even as fear of Russia is rising, its military spending is actually decreasing," 2 May 2018
The deal certainly seems unlikely, as Dembele only joined the La Liga leaders at the beginning of the current campaign for £135m.

— SI.com, "Barcelona Eye Former Liverpool Flop as Rejuvenated Lazio Star Shines in Serie A," 29 Apr. 2018
That means that if George were ever to abdicate (unlikely, but entirely possible: Edward VIII did it in 1936), she’d be skipped over just because of her gender.

— elise taylor, Vogue, "The New Royal Baby Will Be 5th in Line to the Throne—But It Wasn’t Always That Way," 23 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'unlikely.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.