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as in odds
a measure of how often an event will occur instead of another the probability of flipping a coin and getting heads 50 times in a row is not good

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 probability The Colorado State team also sees an above-average probability of major hurricanes making landfall along the continental United States coastline and in the Caribbean. Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 12 June 2025 Because of that, Wall Street expects the Fed to hold off on cutting rates until later this year, with economists polled by FactSet giving a 100% probability that the central bank will keep rates steady at its June 18 meeting. Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 11 June 2025 Which of the following indicates the highest probability of getting a particular disease? Terry Savage, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2025 The probability of moving was also found to nearly triple in the wake of divorce with families relocating to neighborhoods with lower incomes. Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for probability
Recent Examples of Synonyms for probability
likelihood
Noun
  • While the likelihood of seeing the northern lights will be low for most of the U.S. on Tuesday and Wednesday, Alaska and states near the Canadian border will have a higher chance of seeing the lights.
    Julia Gomez, USA Today, 25 June 2025
  • The concept of behavioral forecasting, as introduced to me by Dr. Corey Crossan through our work together, has its roots in disciplines like criminology, such as predicting the likelihood of a repeat offense, and in health, predicting the probability of illness based on behaviors.
    Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Probability.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/probability. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

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