Synonyms of unlikely

unlikely

adjective

ˌən-ˈlī-klē 

as in doubtful

not likely to be true or to occur

in the unlikely event that the file is deleted or corrupted, you will want to have backup copies available

Synonyms & Similar Words

• doubtful
• dubious
• questionable
• improbable
• impossible
• bizarre
• odd
• far-fetched
• flimsy
• incredible
• fantastic
• inconceivable
• implausible
• ridiculous
• unthinkable
• unapt
• absurd
• unimaginable
• unbelievable
• foolish
• crazy
• outlandish
• insane
• nonsensical
• unreal
• preposterous
• slight
• outside
• remote
• wild

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• likely
• probable
• possible
• plausible
• conceivable
• potential
• credible
• earthly
• liable
• believable
• imaginable

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of unlikely

Unlike England, Spain are unlikely to retreat or tire to the same extent, leaving Scaloni to plot a way through this sustained intensity. — Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 20 July 2026

If Vance now recognizes his comments as churlish, lacking in charity, and utterly unlikely to persuade voters, much less witness to the sublime truths of the Christian religion, good for him. — Matthew Walther, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026

Today, those amateur investors, burned by crypto one too many times, have moved on to things like prediction markets, and are unlikely to come back. — Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 20 July 2026

This one, Eimers went on, was unlikely to do that, because of the bludgeoning of the post and the placement of the bolts. — Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 20 July 2026