unlikely

[ uhn-lahyk-lee ]
See synonyms for: unlikelyunlikeliest on Thesaurus.com

adjective,un·like·li·er, un·like·li·est.
  1. not likely to be or occur; improbable; marked by doubt.

  2. holding little prospect of success; unpromising; likely to fail: He is an unlikely candidate for reelection.

  1. not ingratiating; objectionable.

adverb
  1. in an unlikely way.

Origin of unlikely

1
First recorded in 1325–75, unlikely is from the Middle English word unlikli.See un-1, likely

Other words from unlikely

  • un·like·li·ness, noun

Words Nearby unlikely

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use unlikely in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for unlikely

unlikely

/ (ʌnˈlaɪklɪ) /


adjective
  1. not likely; improbable

Derived forms of unlikely

  • unlikeliness or unlikelihood, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with unlikely

unlikely

see in the unlikely event.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.