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⇱ likely - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

likely

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UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈlaɪkli/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈlaɪkli/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(līk′lē)

Inflections of 'likely' (adj):
likelier
adj comparative
likeliest
adj superlative

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
like•ly /ˈlaɪkli/USA pronunciation   adj., -li•er, -li•est, adv. 
adj. 
  1. probable;
    fairly sure;
    expected: [be + ~ + to + verb]An earthquake is not likely to happen here.[It + be + ~ + (that) clause]It's likely that she will win.
  2. believable:[before a noun]It was a likely enough excuse.
  3. suitable;
    promising:[before a noun]We found a likely place to pitch the tent.

adv. 
  1. probably:We will most likely stay home.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
like•ly  (līk′lē),USA pronunciation adj., -li•er, -li•est, adv. 
adj. 
  1. probably or apparently destined (usually fol. by an infinitive):something not likely to happen.
  2. seeming like truth, fact, or certainty;
    reasonably to be believed or expected;
    believable:a likely story.
  3. seeming to fulfill requirements or expectations;
    apparently suitable:a likely place for a restaurant.
  4. showing promise of achievement or excellence;
    promising:a fine, likely young man.

adv. 
  1. probably:We will likely stay home this evening.
  • Old Norse līkligr. See like1, -ly
  • Middle English likli 1250–1300
    3. appropriate.
    Likely in the senses "probably destined'' and "probably'' is often preceded by a qualifying word like very, more, or quite: The board is very likely to turn down the request. The new system will quite likely increase profits. However, despite statements to the contrary in some usage guides, likely in these senses is standard without such a qualifier in all varieties of English:It will likely be a bitter debate.The shipment will likely arrive on Thursday.See also apt, liable. 
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
likely /ˈlaɪklɪ/ adj
  1. (usually followed by an infinitive) tending or inclined; apt: likely to rain
  2. probable: a likely result
  3. believable or feasible; plausible
  4. appropriate for a purpose or activity
  5. having good possibilities of success: a likely candidate
 adv
  1. probably or presumably
  2. as likely as not ⇒ very probably
Etymology: 14th Century: from Old Norse līkligrUSAGE
'likely' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Collocations: is the likely [winner, choice, candidate], is likely to [have, get, occur, cause, become, have], [will, would] likely [have], more...

Forum discussions with the word(s) "likely" in the title:

— but this is likely
..... more likely to be remembered
...likely fees that will be charged...and the fees would vary...
...where the most likely places <were> for aliens to inhabit <were>...
"..are such that confusion as to origin is likely"
'as' vs. 'which': likely to lose all credibility, as is an advocate ....
'audiences' are most likely [collective noun?]
'It is more likely to be acceptable in coastal provinces and unacceptable in inland provinces' ?
'Most Likely'
“How likely……?” “Definitely will”
(Grammar) I would like to express what is not likely to happen.
1,000 cases are likely to be part of
200% more likely
3x as Likely
50 percent more likely
A DeShawn is more likely to <have been> <be> handicapped ...
A is less likely to trigger immune response in B, but very likely in C.
A judgement needs to be made about groups that are less likely to respond and larger numbers of thes
A large number of genes...are the most likely scenario
a likely tale or story
A man so clever as he is not likely to do such a thing
about half as likely
"Adults are much more likely to act their way into a new way of thinking than to think their way into a new way of acting.”
Ain't that just likely?
alternative of likely
Among more likely measures are the imposition...
An organism that more is fit to/for its environment is more likely to survive.
and are more likely to be
and likely to
Antibiotic overuse has likely contributed …
more...

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