Englishfor English speakers

ADJECTIVE likely COMPARATIVE likelier SUPERLATIVE likeliest

likely English

Meaning likely meaning

What does likely mean?

Definitions in simple English

likely Adjective

— If something is likely, it is probably true or will probably happen. It seems likely that he will miss the meeting. The most likely explanation is that there was a simple mistake. People from that area are more likely to be short.

likely Adverb

— You use likely to say that you think something is true or will happen. Likely, over the next few years, more changes will happen. It wouldn't likely have been very useful. Police have made good progress in their investigation but would not likely make any arrests within a week.

likely

— adjective has a good chance of being the case or of coming about these services are likely to be available to us all before long she is likely to forget a likely place for a restaurant the broken limb is likely to fall rain is likely a likely topic for investigation likely candidates for the job — adverb (= probably, in all likelihood) with considerable certainty; without much doubt He is probably out of the country in all likelihood we are headed for war — adjective (= probable) likely but not certain to be or become true or real a likely result he foresaw a probable loss — adjective within the realm of credibility not a very likely excuse — adjective (= potential) expected to become or be; in prospect potential clients

Synonyms likely synonyms

What other words have the same or similar meaning as likely?

likely English » English

probable probably possible plausible possibly reasonable credible verisimilar believable apt presumably perhaps maybe belike surely supposable suitable prospective prone promising presumable potential manageable inclined in all probability in all likelihood hopeful feasible contingent appropriate willing up-and-coming truthful true thinkable thereabout supposed strong specious seemingly seeming reputed reported prolly progressing probs probabilistic presumptively presumptive presumed

Topics likely topics

What do people use likely to talk about?

Grammar Semantic constituents related to verbs Epistemic moods

Probably

What words indicate that something will probably happen?

probably likely probable be a strong possibility it looks as if it looks like chances are may well be in the cards as likely as not I wouldn't be surprised if I dare say I should think I guess
What words indicate that something is probably true?

probably likely probable it looks as if it's a fair bet may well may easily as likely as not I should think
What words indicate that something is very probably true

very probably very likely there is a strong likelihood there is a strong probability almost certain be more than likely in all probability ten to one

Language and thought Think

Tendency

What words indicate that the speaker thinks that something tends to be a certain way?

tend have a tendency lean a certain way apt to prone to proclivity predilection bent bias leaning penchant inclination propensity susceptibility likelihood liable to trend drift conducive to leads in the direction of dispose incline toward gravitate toward likely

Language and thought Want Request

Refuse to do something

What do people say when they refuse to do something?

not likely nothing doing no way and that's that

Examples likely examples

How do I use likely in a sentence?

Simple sentences

Is that likely?

That's likely a mistake.

Tom is the one least likely to come to your party.

That's likely not true.

Tom said that my parents wouldn't likely allow me to do that until I'm eighteen years old.

Tom will likely be desperate to do that.

Tom isn't likely to be upset.

Tom won't likely go to Boston.

Tom won't likely be on time.

Tom is likely to be ready.

Is it likely they will cancel the event?

I'm not very likely to do that again.

It's quite likely that Tom will want to come.

Gambling at a casino will most likely result in losing money.

At this rate, we're not likely to be done before the end of the week.

Girls are more likely than boys to be malnourished, suffer poverty, face violence and be refused an education, according to a new report.

The basements of the houses are likely to have problems.

We are likely to get there before dark.

Which team is the most likely to win the championship?

It is likely to rain tomorrow.

Do you think it likely?

The president of the university is likely to resign.

The more difficult the questions are, the less likely I'll be able to answer them.

John is likely to make a mistake.

Judging from the look of the sky, it is likely to rain.

Smokers are far more likely to develop lung cancer than non-smokers are.

The smaller the body, the more likely the person will suffer from the ill effects of radiation.

It is likely to rain again.

It's not likely that he went there.

Such a strange thing is not likely to happen.

It is likely to be fine.

His team is likely to win.

It is likely to rain this afternoon.

Movie subtitles

And it would most likely be an indication that we're getting closer to finding an intelligent civilisation.

Not likely.

Well, I can barely remember and I wasn't really in the mood, but. the sweet girl had made such an effort to be there and I knew it was most likely Declan's last time, so I played my part.

Likely from the edge of the chimney.

Most likely the same person that killed Evan?

And, likely to become a lot busier once you're mayor.

I'm trying to co-opt likely Santas for a photo shoot.

Someone on the float, to provide our other likely suspects, an alibi, or.

Most likely, Jed Charmers.

To point the blame at those with likely motives, and lethal means.

Sir, one of the other owners is likely the poisoner.

Likely planning sedition somewhere.

It's serious. Tachycardia, likely severe chest injury.

Unstable, likely internal haemorrhage.

So you're saying that Dr. Davenport likely got that sample from this facility?

If they were trying to keep it a secret, then it's highly likely that they've built a basement.

It's likely 008.

Not yet. They're most likely going to try to determine our exact location first.

There was likely a launch today as well.

If he can't be found, he likely doesn't exist.

It's likely. There are a few more witnesses, but they've agreed to finish tonight.

He'll likely talk about passion over reason and blinding jealousy.

A likely story.

Say, Bascom, he maybe could tell us of a likely stretch of country.

Likely you two have met before.

Likely he is.

Well, you're likely to lose your scalp out there.

Well, he's likely to lose his scalp afore he gets there. But once in the villages, he's safe.

And the idea that she's going out with somebody who, more than likely, would kill her, I think, is what drives her to break them up. Are you having sex with my daughter?

And I think that John Mayer is very likely to destroy evidence.

George, which of these dogs is likely to become - the new champion now?

He's likely to lick him.

He's a lodger of mine, and a very likely lad he is, too.

He's likely to do to her just what my husband did to me.

Could be, perhaps, but it isn't very likely.

It's more likely your father would upset the visitors.

Well, you'll very likely see her soon yourself.

Not likely!

MORE LIKELY HEARTACHE.

AH, THE INVISIBLE MISS LIVVY IS MORE LIKELY TO BE HERE AND YET NOT TO BE HERE.

News and current affairs

If Iran did this, it would not only add to the dangers in an unstable region, but would likely begin a process of unravelling the non-proliferation regime worldwide.

Some can migrate, but others (such as polar bears) are likely to be driven to extinction unless we take decisive action to head off climate change.

A logical corollary of the criteria set forth by Kenen and Obstfeld, and even of Mundell's labor-mobility criterion, is that currency unions cannot survive without political legitimacy, most likely involving region-wide popular elections.

And, as we have seen in many countries' efforts to ameliorate the crisis, the non-cooperative protectionist response is much more likely to be adopted - despite wide recognition that it is highly destructive - when aggregate demand is in short supply.

It looks increasingly likely that, as under Leonid Brezhnev, we will see the same names in the news for decades to come.

The confederation I advocate would thus constitute an intermediate stage (lasting five or ten years), at the end of which Kosovo is likely to become fully independent.

Intervention of some type seems more likely in such circumstances.

This leaves us trying to use patterns from past, dissimilar crises to try to infer the likely prognosis for the current crisis.

Unfortunately, conditions across the Union will likely worsen before they begin to improve.

As such, the long-term consequences are likely to be regrettable.

The most promising areas for international cooperation today most likely concern problems posed for states by third parties such as criminals and terrorists.

It is likely, however, that major governments will soon discover that the insecurity created by non-state cyber actors will require closer cooperation among governments.

Europe would have to pay an unacceptably high price, and NATO's future would likely be jeopardized.

Even the Brazilian squad is looking more aggressive and likely to score with young players like Robinho and Juninho than with their aging champions from 2002.

By contrast, 2009 is likely to pave the way to a new form of bipolarity, but with China substituting for the Soviet Union.

While the legislation does too little to address America's problem of chronic and rising budget deficits, the damage that it inflicts on the economy in the short term is likely to be limited.

In other words, if your trust in the market and in the way it is regulated fell sharply, you were less likely to deposit money in banks or invest in stocks.

The data show, intriguingly, that those who show levels of trust well below the average for the country they live in are likely to have lower incomes.

Nor is inclusion of the renminbi in the SDR basket likely to provide as big a boost to the currency's internationalization as many believe.

Unlike former Peruvian dictator Alberto Fujimori's daughter, who lost her presidential bid in Peru last month, Park is likely to defy her family's tragic history.

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