unlikely
adjective
un·like·ly
ˌən-ˈlī-klē 
1
: not likely : improbable
an unlikely outcome
2
: likely to fail : unpromising
Examples of unlikely in a Sentence
He was an unlikely candidate for the position.
A big city seems like an unlikely place to find wildlife.
I received support from an unlikely ally.
Recent Examples on the Web
But impeachment and removal are unlikely under the current makeup of Congress.
—
Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2025
Weaver says that these mega-events are unlikely to have a huge impact on sponsorship value though as stadium sponsorship deals are long-term deals.
—Steve Price, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
What the economy is now experiencing, partially a result of President Donald Trump’s tariff policies dampening economic growth forecasts and renewing concerns about inflation, is unlikely to prompt Fed officials to so much as whisper stagflation to one another.
—Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN, 20 Mar. 2025
So, the unlikely pair began to cross the river, the scorpion on the frog’s back.
—Charlie Dektar, The New Yorker, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unlikely
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Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2025
Weaver says that these mega-events are unlikely to have a huge impact on sponsorship value though as stadium sponsorship deals are long-term deals.
—Steve Price, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
What the economy is now experiencing, partially a result of President Donald Trump’s tariff policies dampening economic growth forecasts and renewing concerns about inflation, is unlikely to prompt Fed officials to so much as whisper stagflation to one another.
—Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN, 20 Mar. 2025
So, the unlikely pair began to cross the river, the scorpion on the frog’s back.
—Charlie Dektar, The New Yorker, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unlikely
Cite this Entry
“Unlikely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unlikely. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unlikely
adjective
un·like·ly
ˌən-ˈlī-klē
ˈən-
1
: not likely : improbable
an unlikely story
2
: likely to fail : unpromising
an unlikely place for fishing
unlikeliness
noun
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