adj · adv · noun · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ʌnˈlaɪkli/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
UK:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:AH0 N L AY1 K L IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Not likely; improbable; not to be reasonably expected.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
It is pretty unlikely that you'll win, but I will pray that at least you do well.
In the highly unlikely event of landing in water, lifejackets are stored under the seat.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Not holding out a prospect of success; likely to fail; unpromising.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
unlikely means
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adv
Meaning 3
In an improbable manner.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
Something or somebody considered unlikely.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
adjective
Meaning 5
has little chance of being the case or coming about
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
an unlikely story
an unlikely candidate for reelection
a butcher is unlikely to preach vegetarianism
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: likely
6
adjective
Meaning 6
not likely to be true or to occur or to have occurred
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
legislation on the question is highly unlikely
an improbable event
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: improbable
Antonyms: none provided
7
adjective satellite
Meaning 7
having a probability too low to inspire belief
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: improbable, unbelievable, unconvincing
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Middle English unlykely, unlikly, unlykly, unlicli. By surface analysis, un- + likely.
Across languages
Translations
45 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Armenian:
անհավանական
(anhavanakan)
— not likely
Armenian:
դժվար թե
(džvar tʻe)
— not likely
Belarusian:
невераго́дны
(njevjerahódny)
— not likely
Bulgarian:
невероятен
(neverojaten)
— not likely
Bulgarian:
неправдоподобен
(nepravdopodoben)
— not likely
Catalan:
improbable
— not likely
Chinese Mandarin:
不可能的
(bù kěnéng de)
— not likely
Dutch:
onwaarschijnlijk
— not likely
Esperanto:
neverŝajna
— not likely
Finnish:
epätodennäköinen
— not likely
French:
peu probable
— not likely
French:
improbable
— not likely
Galician:
improbábel
— not likely
German:
unwahrscheinlich
— not likely
Greek:
απίθανος
(apíthanos)
— not likely
Hungarian:
valószínűtlen
— not likely
Irish:
ní móide
— not likely
Italian:
improbabile
— not likely
Kazakh:
алмағайып
(almağaiyp)
— not likely
Norwegian Nynorsk:
neppe
— not likely
Polish:
nieprawdopodobny
— not likely
Polish:
mało prawdopodobny
— not likely
Portuguese:
improvável
— not likely
Romanian:
improbabil
— not likely
Russian:
маловероя́тный
(maloverojátnyj)
— not likely
Spanish:
improbable
— not likely
Swedish:
osannolikt
— not likely
Belarusian:
наўра́д
(nawrád)
— in an improbable manner
Belarusian:
наўра́д ці
(nawrád ci)
— in an improbable manner
Bulgarian:
едва ли
(edva li)
— in an improbable manner
Catalan:
improbablement
— in an improbable manner
Chinese Mandarin:
未必
(wèibì)
— in an improbable manner
Dutch:
onwaarschijnlijk
— in an improbable manner
Esperanto:
malverŝajne
— in an improbable manner
Finnish:
epätodennäköisesti
— in an improbable manner
French:
improbablement
— in an improbable manner
Portuguese:
improvavelmente
— in an improbable manner
Romanian:
în mod improbabil
— in an improbable manner
Romanian:
puțin probabil
— in an improbable manner
Russian:
вря́д ли
(vrjád li)
— in an improbable manner
Russian:
навря́д ли
(navrjád li)
— in an improbable manner
Russian:
едва́ ли
(jedvá li)
— in an improbable manner
Spanish:
improbablemente
— in an improbable manner
Ukrainian:
навря́д
(navrjád)
— in an improbable manner
Ukrainian:
навря́д чи
(navrjád čy)
— in an improbable manner
