unlikely

/ʌnˈlaɪkli/ (bre, ipa) · /ʌnˈlaɪkli/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌən-ˈlī-klē/ (ame, mw)

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.形容詞B1
釋義

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

例句

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

同義詞
  • 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'

反義詞
  • likely

    the direct opposite; a high chance of happening

  • probable

    more formal than 'likely'; based on strong evidence

文法句型

unlikely + to-infinitive

it + be + unlikely + that-clause

unlikely + noun

用法筆記

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.

常見錯誤

❌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.形容詞B2
釋義

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

例句

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

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞
  • likely

    a likely choice or candidate is the expected, natural fit

  • typical

    what you would normally expect in that role or situation

文法句型

unlikely + noun

用法筆記

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'.

常見錯誤

❌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.形容詞B2
釋義

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

例句

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

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞
  • 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

文法句型

unlikely + noun

be + unlikely

用法筆記

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.

常見錯誤

❌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.'