unlikely
adjective
un·like·ly
ˌən-ˈlī-klē 
1
: not likely : improbable
an unlikely outcome
2
: likely to fail : unpromising
Synonyms
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
Langer’s unlikely 30-foot putt for birdie capped a thrilling, down to the wire season-ending tournament.
—
Candace Oehler, Forbes, 23 Nov. 2024
They're paired up as roommates and forge an unlikely friendship, but after an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum), Glinda and Elphaba go down two starkly different paths.
—Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 23 Nov. 2024
While Vance's departure also offers DeWine an opportunity to alleviate a bottleneck at the top of Ohio Republicans' political pecking order, where Lt. Gov. Jon Husted and Attorney General Dave Yost are preparing to face off for governor in 2026, that appears unlikely.
—CBS News, 22 Nov. 2024
Trump’s calls to close the Department of Education would need congressional approval, which appears unlikely.
—Jeffrey Fleishman, Los Angeles Times, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for unlikely 
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Candace Oehler, Forbes, 23 Nov. 2024
They're paired up as roommates and forge an unlikely friendship, but after an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum), Glinda and Elphaba go down two starkly different paths.
—Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 23 Nov. 2024
While Vance's departure also offers DeWine an opportunity to alleviate a bottleneck at the top of Ohio Republicans' political pecking order, where Lt. Gov. Jon Husted and Attorney General Dave Yost are preparing to face off for governor in 2026, that appears unlikely.
—CBS News, 22 Nov. 2024
Trump’s calls to close the Department of Education would need congressional approval, which appears unlikely.
—Jeffrey Fleishman, Los Angeles Times, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for unlikely
Dictionary Entries Near unlikely
Cite this Entry
“Unlikely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unlikely. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
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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