Definition Synonyms
Definition of likely - Reverso English Dictionary
Adjective
1.
expectationexpected to do something
- She is likely to win the competition.
2.
probabilityhaving a high chance of happening
- It is likely to rain today.
3.
suitabilityRare suitable or appropriate for a purposeRare
- He is a likely candidate for the job.
Adverb
probabilityprobably or almost certainly
- It will likely rain tomorrow..
Expressions with likely
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expression of disbelief in a story or excuse
He said he forgot, but that's a likely story.
having a higher chance of happening
It is more likely to rain tomorrow.
with the highest probability
She will most likely arrive by noon.
improbable or not expected to happen
It's not likely that it will rain today.
very probably or almost certainly
It will more than likely rain tomorrow.
very unlikely to happen or be true
It is hardly likely that he will come.
probably or possibly
As likely as not, it will rain tomorrow.
in a very strong way, saying something will not happen
Will you help him? Not bloody likely!
young man with potential or talent
Everyone thinks he's a likely lad for the football team.
probably will happen or is true
Likely as not, he will be late again.
Origin of likely
Old Norse, líkligr (probable)
Terms with likely included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
harmless
not likely to cause or lead to harm
product risk
less likely to cause harm or injury
at risk
likely to be harmed or damaged
consequences
likely to face punishment or consequences
probability
more quickly or likely than usual
prediction
anticipated or considered likely to happen
cause of harm
thing likely to cause an adverse effect
stable
not likely to move or change
reliable
not likely to change or fail
secure
firmly fixed or not likely to move or come loose
belief
believe something is likely true
source of danger
person or thing likely to cause damage or danger
risk
posing a likely risk of harm or danger
success
person or thing likely to succeed or be popular
safety
likely to experience physical hurt or death in dangerous conditions
future situation
likely to experience or reach a situation or result
punishment
likely to be punished or criticized
finance
most likely value or answer judged from current information and reasoning
inevitable
certain or likely to happen
prediction
sense that something is likely to happen
hazard
thing or person likely to cause a fire
success
be likely to be successful
doubt
think something is not likely or true
communication
express strong disbelief about something being true or likely
Examples of likely in a sentence
The weather is likely to improve by tomorrow. The likely outcome is a win for our team. She is the most likely candidate for the job. She is a likely choice for the scholarship. This is a likely spot for the new store. She will likely attend the meeting.
The project will likely be completed by next week.
View all translations of likely
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:probable, probablement, ...
- German:voraussichtlich, höchstwahrscheinlich, ...
- Italian:probabile, probabilmente, ...
- Spanish:probable, seguramente, ...
- Portuguese:provável, provavelmente, ...
- Chinese:可能的, 很可能, ...
- Japanese:しそうな, おそらく, ...
- Arabic:مُحْتَمَل, عَلَى الأَرْجَح, ...
- Hebrew:עָשׂוּי, כַּנִּרְאֶה, ...
- Russian:вероятный, вероятно, ...
- Ukrainian:ймовірний, ймовірно, ...
- Hindi:संभावित, संभवतः, ...
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