probably

adverb

prob·​a·​bly ˈprä-bə-blē How to pronounce probably (audio)
ˈprä(b)-blē
: insofar as seems reasonably true, factual, or to be expected : without much doubt
is probably happy
it will probably rain

Examples of probably in a Sentence

The impact probably added all but the last few percent of Earth's mass and set the stage for Earth's and the Moon's subsequent evolution. Mark Wilson, Physics Today, February 2008
It was no secret that McKay preferred the thrill of victory to the agony of defeat, and that, along with his innocent optimism and snark-free sincerity, probably makes him hopelessly old-fashioned. Richard Hoffer, Sports Illustrated, 16 June 2008
But what these newly inaugurated gym rats probably don't know is that besides buffing up their bodies for summer, they're also buffing up their brains. Christen Brownlee, Science News, 25 Feb. 2006
It will probably rain today. They will probably be here soon. It was probably the best concert I've ever been to. There were probably about 150 people at the wedding. “Are you going to the picnic?” “Probably.” “Can you finish painting the room today?” “Probably not.”
Recent Examples on the Web Realistically, there are probably a bunch of people at the company who shouldn't be here. Jack Kelly, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024 But few probably had much idea what the measures were about. George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2024 An artist probably does not need to have a PhD in Economics to understand the relationship between lean times where there is less money chasing art out there, versus good times where spending happens left and right. Zain Jaffer, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2024 Interestingly, Nixon, who was forced to resign after the Watergate scandal, was probably Benson’s favorite president. Rosemary Feitelberg, WWD, 21 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for probably 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'probably.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see probable entry 1

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of probably was in 1600

Dictionary Entries Near probably

Cite this Entry

“Probably.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/probably. Accessed 30 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

probably

adverb
prob·​a·​bly ˈpräb-(ə-)blē How to pronounce probably (audio)
ˈpräb-lē
: without much doubt : very likely

More from Merriam-Webster on probably

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