unlikely

adjective

un·​like·​ly ˌən-ˈlī-klē 

1

: not likely : improbable

an unlikely outcome

2

: likely to fail : unpromising

Synonyms

• doubtful
• dubious
• far-fetched
• flimsy
• improbable
• questionable
• unapt

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

By way of Mike Curb, Motown also became the unlikely home of Pat Boone, the unabashedly wholesome (and religious) crooner and actor who’d become one of rock’s earliest stars thanks to his covers of songs by Little Richard and Fats Domino. —David Browne, Rolling Stone, 8 Dec. 2024

Despite some public discussions about that prospect, that scenario—while not impossible—seems unlikely at the moment. —Shane Croucher, Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2024

That’s probably high-end and unlikely, though, and a $5-6 million finish is most likely at this point. —Mark Hughes, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024

In the late eighteenth century, an unlikely inmate was sent by Dutch colonial authorities to the infamous Robben Island, where freedom fighters including Nelson Mandela would later be imprisoned. —H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 7 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids 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