1
as in probable
having a high chance of occurring
if you don't graduate from high school, your likely fate is a low-paying job
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in promising
having qualities which inspire hope
this looks like a likely spot for good trout fishing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in plausible
worthy of being accepted as true or reasonable
we didn't find her excuse a very likely story
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in pretty
very pleasing to look at
a likely gal such as yourself should have no trouble getting a date
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in probably
by reasonable assumption
the picnic will likely be cancelled if the storm continues
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of likely
Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2025
Gennadiy Goldberg, head of U.S. rates strategy at TD Securities, thinks prices are likely to rise as tariffs gradually push up import costs in the second half of the year.
—Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 27 June 2025
Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 28 June 2025
The second narrative thread, while less dramatic, is arguably more substantial -- and likely owes more to Clinton than to Patterson.
—Arkansas Online, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for likely
Adjective
Contrary to Trump’s assertions, none of this is likely to deter Iran from seeking nuclear weapons.
—Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2025
Gennadiy Goldberg, head of U.S. rates strategy at TD Securities, thinks prices are likely to rise as tariffs gradually push up import costs in the second half of the year.
—Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 27 June 2025
Adverb
Perhaps nastiest of all, though, are the human bacteria likely clinging to your seemingly new clothes.
—Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 28 June 2025
The second narrative thread, while less dramatic, is arguably more substantial -- and likely owes more to Clinton than to Patterson.
—Arkansas Online, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for likely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for likely
Adjective
-
Wind gusts of up to 40 mph and pea-sized hail (0.25 inches) are probable.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
30 June 2025
-
How much the Uruguayan—who’s been at the Anfield club for three years—would exactly cost at this initial stage remains unclear, yet a move seems probable.—
Henry Flynn,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
Adjective
-
Carter Bryant: With his dynamic athleticism and two-way potential, Bryant could quickly become one of the most promising young players in OKC.—
Nick Crain,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
-
Larry Birnbaum, a professor of computer science at Northwestern University was recruiting a promising PhD to become a graduate researcher.—
Alexandra Sternlicht,
Fortune,
25 June 2025
Adjective
-
That seems like a plausible outcome, but unpredictability is one of Trump’s hallmarks.—
Kevin Stankiewicz,
CNBC,
29 June 2025
-
Some of his claims, while plausible, would require independent verification.—
Antonio Maria Delgado,
Miami Herald,
25 June 2025
Adjective
-
Candice took us to the west, the prettier side of the compound, where the maze lay, and the gardens and pond.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 June 2025
-
High-Quality Pantry Staples When in doubt, a practical choice, especially one that comes in pretty packaging, will always be appreciated—or at the very least, used.—
Betsy Cribb Watson,
Southern Living,
20 June 2025
Adverb
-
The most well-known is probably central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA), which was first identified in 1968 and is now one of the leading forms of hair loss among Black women.—
Zahra Spencer,
Allure,
24 June 2025
-
The assignment probably won’t be anywhere near as difficult this time.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
Adjective
-
The operator lands their FPV by the side of a track or on a rooftop and waits for possible targets, alerted either by a spotter drone or using the drone’s own camera.—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
-
Plenty of big names have been connected as possible targets for the Packers.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 July 2025
Adjective
-
After all, when the sun is so bright and the water so warm, who would ever want the summer to end?—
Erik Morse,
Vogue,
26 June 2025
-
The Royals are betting Cruz’s future remains bright.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
26 June 2025
Adjective
-
Designed in the right way, even modest short-term and long-term adjustments can maintain credible deterrence against both China and Russia at reasonable cost.—
VIPIN NARANG,
Foreign Affairs,
24 June 2025
-
Web crawlers that feed LLMs are increasingly pulling from non-traditional platforms to find fresh, credible content.—
Pawel Rzeszucinski,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Likely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/likely. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
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