unlikely

IPA/ʌnˈlaɪkli/
KK[ənlˈaɪkli]IPA/ʌnˈlaɪkli/

unlikely — adjective

  • unlikelypositive
  • more unlikelycomparative
  • most unlikelysuperlative

1. having a low chance of happening or of being true, so that you do not expect it

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

having a low chance of happening or of being true, so that you do not expect it

Example

It is highly unlikely that the train will arrive before midnight.

it + be + unlikely + that-clause

Ziad is unlikely to finish the project by Friday without extra help.

unlikely + to-infinitive

Common collocations
  • unlikely event
  • unlikely scenario
  • unlikely outcome
  • unlikely to happen
Synonyms
  • improbable

    more formal than 'unlikely'; common in writing

  • doubtful

    emphasises that you have strong reasons to doubt something

  • remote

    suggests an extremely small possibility, often in 'remote chance'

Antonyms
  • likely

    the direct opposite; a high chance of happening

  • probable

    more formal than 'likely'; based on strong evidence

Grammar Patterns

unlikely + to-infinitive

it + be + unlikely + that-clause

unlikely + noun

Usage Note

Often used with adverbs such as 'highly', 'extremely', or 'very' to emphasize how small the chance is. The to-infinitive pattern (unlikely to do) is more common in everyday speech than the that-clause pattern.

Common Mistakes

It's unlikely that she will comes.
It's unlikely that she will come.
The verb after 'will' must be in its base form.
There is unlikely chance of rain.
There is little chance of rain.' or 'Rain is unlikely.
'Unlikely' is an adjective, not a noun modifier used this way.

2. used to describe a surprising situation where someone or something is very diffe

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

used to describe a surprising situation where someone or something is very different from what people would normally consider typical or suitable

Example

The two former rivals formed an unlikely friendship after the election.

collocation: unlikely friendship

Hugo was an unlikely choice for team captain because he is usually so quiet.

collocation: unlikely choice

Common collocations
  • unlikely friendship
  • unlikely hero
  • unlikely candidate
  • unlikely place
  • unlikely pair
  • unlikely source
Synonyms
  • surprising

    weaker emphasis on unexpectedness; does not suggest 'seems wrong'

  • unexpected

    focuses only on the surprise factor, not on being different from typical

  • improbable

    in this sense, suggests something seems strangely out of place

Antonyms
  • likely

    a likely choice or candidate is the expected, natural fit

  • typical

    what you would normally expect in that role or situation

Grammar Patterns

unlikely + noun

Usage Note

Used almost exclusively before a noun (attributive position). Unlike sense 1, this sense does not appear after a linking verb like 'be' — you would not say 'The friendship was unlikely' to mean 'surprising'.

Common Mistakes

His success was unlikely, meaning I was surprised.
He was an unlikely success.
For the 'surprising' meaning, place 'unlikely' before the noun, not after a linking verb.

3. describing a story, explanation, or claim that seems difficult to accept as true

3.adjectiveB2
Definition

describing a story, explanation, or claim that seems difficult to accept as true

Example

Adaeze told an unlikely story about seeing a bear in the city park.

collocation: unlikely story

The witness gave an unlikely account of the accident that no one believed.

collocation: unlikely account

Common collocations
  • unlikely story
  • unlikely excuse
  • unlikely explanation
  • unlikely claim
  • unlikely tale
Synonyms
  • implausible

    more formal; suggests the story lacks logical credibility

  • far-fetched

    informal; suggests a story is exaggerated or hard to imagine

  • incredible

    can mean 'hard to believe' or 'amazing'; context determines which

Antonyms
  • believable

    a story that seems truthful and reasonable

  • credible

    more formal; worth believing because it fits known facts

  • plausible

    a claim that seems reasonable and likely to be true

Grammar Patterns

unlikely + noun

be + unlikely

Usage Note

Often used for narratives and excuses that sound too strange or convenient to be true. The focus is on believability rather than probability — compare with sense 1, which is about the chance of a future event.

Common Mistakes

That's an unlikely story' (when you mean 'The story is hard to believe, period.').
This is correct
just be aware that sense 1 would be used for future events: 'It's unlikely that her story will change.'

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe a low chance of something happening, but they differ in formality and focus. 'Unlikely' is the most common and neutral choice for everyday speech and writing. 'Improbable' is more formal and often appears in academic or technical contexts; it suggests something is unlikely based on statistical or logical reasoning. 'Doubtful' emphasises personal scepticism — someone's feeling that an event will not happen — and is frequently used with 'it' as a subject: 'It is doubtful that…'. 'Remote' is the strongest of the four and is almost always paired with 'chance' or 'possibility', as in 'a remote chance of survival'. For everyday use, 'unlikely' covers most situations; use 'remote' only when you want to stress that the possibility is extremely small.

unlikely ↗improbable ↗doubtful ↗remote ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • it is unlikely that
  • unlikely to happen
  • highly unlikely

Prepositions

Etymology

Old NorseMiddle EnglishEnglish

Formed in late Middle English by adding the prefix 'un-' (meaning 'not') to 'likely', which comes from Old Norse 'líkligr' (meaning 'like' or 'similar'). The original sense of 'likely' was 'having the same appearance as', which later shifted to 'probable'. Adding 'un-' created the opposite meaning — 'not probable'. The word has been used since the 15th century.