conditional probability

noun

Definition of conditional probabilitynext
as in percentage

Related Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of conditional probability His lasting contribution came posthumously, in a Royal Society paper on conditional probability. — Siddhartha Mukherjee, New Yorker, 16 June 2025 Fraud Detection As mentioned earlier, conditional probability allows firms to update risk assessments in real-time. — Christer Holloman, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025 Thus was born, in these villages, the idea of conditional probabilities and, with it, the practice of conditional love. — Weike Wang, The New Yorker, 11 July 2024 The prosecutor’s fallacy emerges constantly in problems of conditional probability, leading us sirenlike towards precisely the wrong conclusions—and undetected, sends innocent people to jail. — David Robert Grimes, Scientific American, 8 Dec. 2023 The Goldman team sees a 30% probability of entering a recession over the next year, up from 15% previously, and a 25% conditional probability of entering a recession in the second year if one is avoided in the first. — Enda Curran, Fortune, 21 June 2022 Each term in the Drake equation sets the conditional probability of the term that comes after. — Corey S. Powell, Discover Magazine, 28 Feb. 2021 To calculate the probability of the outcome resulting from any particular branch (a conditional probability), the probabilities of the sequence of events are multiplied. — New York Times, 13 May 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conditional probability
  1. percentage
  2. probability
  3. potential
  4. possibility
Noun
  • The percentage of Californians (including non-likely voters) who called energy costs a big problem rose 9 points from last July — a sign of the growing pressures high gasoline costs and electrical bills are bringing to bear on state residents.
    — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 16 July 2026
  • The percentage gains are likely because there is such a small pool to begin with, and some borrowers are doing cash-out refinances to take advantage of big gains in home equity.
    — Diana Olick, CNBC, 15 July 2026
Definition of percentage
Noun
  • Instead, the surprise lay in the failure of a program many investors viewed as having a high probability of success.
    — Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 11 July 2026
  • Buildings don’t just typically fall over; someone, in all probability, made a mistake in building them.
    — D. T. Max, New Yorker, 11 July 2026
Definition of probability
Noun
  • If the success of Sleeping Dogs piqued an interest in his talent, this is the drama that really fulfilled his potential almost immediately.
    — Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 14 July 2026
  • Just as a landmine holds enormous potential energy, human differences carry the potential for volatility if unmanaged.
    — Susan MacKenty Brady, Fortune, 14 July 2026
Definition of potential
Noun
  • The possibility of disruptions to oil flows via the Strait of Hormuz, however, might not entirely be discounted, which could complicate energy supply calculus.
    — Justina Lee, CNBC, 6 July 2026
  • Efraín Juárez, then the coach of Pumas, was asked about the possibility of his team ending a long title drought.
    — Eduard Cauich, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
Definition of possibility

Browse Nearby Words

conditional probabilities
conditional probability
conditioned
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Conditional probability.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conditional%20probability. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on conditional probability

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about conditional probability

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of obdurate

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All