INDEX:
1. when it is likely that something will happen or is true
2. very likely to happen or be true
3. when something will probably be good
4. when something bad is likely to happen
5. to be likely to be successful
6. to be likely to do something surprising or bad
7. how likely it is that something will happen
8. possible but not likely
9. when it is unlikely that there will be a good result
RELATED WORDS
see also
↑ MAYBE
↑ POSSIBLE
↑ SURE/NOT SURE
↑ EXPECT
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1. when it is likely that something will happen or is true
▷ probably /ˈprɒbəbliǁˈprɑː-/ [adverb]
when something will probably happen or is probably true :
▪ ‘Where is she?’ ‘Probably in her room.’
▪ We’ll probably be shooting the movie on location in Europe.
▪ Archaeologists think the temple was probably built in the 3rd century AD.
▪ He wrote dozens of books, but this is probably his best-known novel.
▷ likely /ˈlaɪkli/ [adjective]
something that is likely will probably happen or is probably true :
▪ The most likely result is a win for the Democrats.
likely to do something
▪ The price of petrol is likely to rise again this year.
very likely
▪ The jury is very likely to believe he was in the apartment at the time of the crime.
something seems likely
▪ A peace settlement now seems likely.
it is likely (that)
▪ It is likely that the girl knew her killer.
▷ probable /ˈprɒbəb ə lǁˈprɑː-/ [adjective] formal
likely to be true or likely to happen :
it is/seems probable (that)
▪ It seems probable that the election will be held in May.
highly probable
when something will almost certainly happen
▪ Unless the government agrees to further talks, a strike seems highly probable.
probable cause
▪ The report states that the probable cause of death was a heart attack.
probable cost/result/outcome etc
▪ The project will go ahead, at a probable cost of $2.1 million.
▷ be a strong possibility /biː ə ˌstrɒŋ pɒsə̇ˈbɪlə̇tiǁ-ˌstrɔːŋ pɑː-/ [verb phrase]
to be very likely :
▪ The withdrawal of the allied forces is now a strong possibility.
be a strong possibility (that)
▪ There is a strong possibility that both the murders were committed by one man.
be a strong possibility of
▪ The weather forecast says that there’s a strong possibility of snow.
▷ it looks as if/it looks like /ɪt ˈlʊks əz ɪf, ɪt ˈlʊks laɪk/ spoken
say this when the present situation makes you think that something is likely to happen or likely to be true :
▪ There aren’t any taxis. It looks as if we’ll have to walk.
▪ Ted should be here by now. It looks like he’s been delayed.
it looks like being
British
▪ From the agenda, it looks like being a long meeting.
▷ may/could/might well /meɪ, kʊd, maɪt ˈwel/ [modal verb]
if something may well happen or may well be true, it is fairly likely to happen or to be true :
▪ Take an umbrella. It might well rain later on.
▪ That’s only my opinion. I could well be wrong.
▪ The eruption of Santorini in 1470 BC may well have been heard as far away as Britain.
it may well be (that)
▪ It could well be that it is too late for us to reverse the effects of global warming.
something may well be the case
▪ ‘Apparently, interest rates could rise again next month.’ ‘Yes, that might well be the case.’
▷ be on the cards British /be in the cards American /biː ɒn ðə ˈkɑːʳdz, biː ɪn ðə ˈkɑːʳdz/ [verb phrase]
use this to say that something is likely to happen because of the present situation :
▪ They say that another recession is on the cards.
▪ No one was surprised when they got a divorce. It had been on the cards for years.
▪ I was hoping for a promotion, but it doesn’t seem to be in the cards right now.
▷ I suppose also I guess American /aɪ səˈpəʊz, aɪ ˈges/ spoken
say this when you think something is likely to be true or likely to happen :
I suppose (that)
▪ There was no reply when I phoned - I suppose she’s still at work.
▪ I suppose that they’ll do some sightseeing while they’re here.
▪ I guess Kathy will want to bring her boyfriend.
I suppose so/I guess so
use this to answer a question
▪ ‘Is Bill coming too?’ ‘I suppose so.’
▪ ‘If you don’t pass the test, will you take it again?’ ‘I guess so.’
▷ I should think British /I would think/guess American /ˌaɪ ʃʌd ˈθɪŋk, ˌaɪ wʊd ˈθɪŋk, ˈges/ spoken
say this when you know enough about a situation to think something is likely to be true or likely to happen :
▪ The garden’s about 100 metres long, I would guess.
I should think (that)
▪ I should think she’s about 24 or 25.
▪ I would think that almost everyone could get here on a Saturday.
I should/would think so
▪ ‘Will the match still go ahead?’ ‘Yes, I should think so.’
▷ I wouldn’t be surprised /aɪ ˌwʊdnt biː səʳˈpraɪzd/ spoken
say this when you know enough about a situation to think that something is likely to happen or be true, especially something special or unusual :
I wouldn’t be surprised if
▪ You know, I wouldn’t be surprised if they decided to get married.
I wouldn’t be surprised to hear/see/find etc that
▪ I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that she’d left that job by now.
2. very likely to happen or be true
▷ very likely/more than likely /ˌveri ˈlaɪkli, ˌmɔːʳ ð ə n ˈlaɪkli/ [adjective]
▪ An early end to the dispute is now very likely.
▪ ‘Do you think she’s still in love with him?’ ‘More than likely.’
▪ Victory for the German team now seems more than likely.
very likely/more than likely to do something
▪ Snow is very likely to spread across the region by the afternoon.
it’s very likely (that)
▪ It’s very likely that he’ll be late -- he usually is.
very likely [adverb]
▪ If you want a job done quickly, you’ll very likely have to do it yourself.
▷ very probably /ˌveri ˈprɒbəbliǁ-ˈprɑː-/ [adverb] especially written :
▪ The number of dead will very probably reach 2,000 by the end of the day.
▪ The disease is very probably transmitted in water.
▷ almost certain /ˌɔːlməʊst ˈsɜːʳtn/ [adjective]
extremely likely to happen or be true :
it is almost certain (that)
▪ It is almost certain that the government will lose the next election.
almost certain to do something
▪ Bartholomew’s family is almost certain to appeal the court’s decision.
almost certainly [adverb]
▪ If you don’t follow the instructions, it’ll almost certainly go wrong.
▷ in all probability /ɪn ˌɔːl prɒbəˈbɪlə̇tiǁ-prɑː-/ [adverb]
very probably - use this when you have considered something and you are giving your opinion about it :
▪ In all probability, parts of the church date from even earlier than the twelfth century.
▪ She knew that, in all probability, he was seeing other women as well as herself.
▷ ten to one /ˌten tə ˈwʌn/ [adverb] spoken
say this when you think it is extremely likely that something will happen or has happened :
(it’s)ten to one (that)
▪ Stop worrying, Mum. Ten to one Liz has just gone round to a friend’s house.
▪ It’s ten to one you’ll get the job - you’re perfect for it.
3. when something will probably be good
▷ ought to be/should be /ˈɔːt tə biː, ˈʃʊd biː/ [verb phrase]
use this to say that you think something or someone will probably be good, because of what you know about them :
▪ The party should be fun. There’s going to be a group playing and there’s lots of drink.
▪ She has all the right experience, so she ought to make an excellent manager.
▷ promise to be /ˈprɒmɪs tə biː, ˈprɒməs tə biːǁˈprɑː-/ [verb phrase] especially written
if something that has just started promises to be good, exciting etc, it is very likely to be good, exciting etc :
▪ The day promised to be bright and warm.
▪ For those lucky enough to have tickets to the sold-out event, it promises to be a great evening of music.
4. when something bad is likely to happen
▷ be heading for /biː ˈhedɪŋ fɔːʳ/ [verb phrase]
if someone is heading for an unpleasant situation, it is becoming more and more likely that this situation will actually happen :
▪ I’m worried about Molly. She looks as if she’s heading for a nervous breakdown.
▪ There are fears that the company could be heading for closure, following a bad year.
▷ be in for /biː ˈɪn fɔːʳ/ [verb phrase]
if you say you are in for something unpleasant, it is almost certain to happen to you fairly soon :
▪ It’s pretty stormy! I think we’re in for a rough flight.
▪ If they think they’re going to build a new motorway near here, they’re in for a shock.
▷ threaten /ˈθretn/ [transitive verb]
if something threatens to cause an unpleasant situation, it seems likely that it will cause it :
threaten to do something
▪ The dispute threatened to damage East-West relations.
▪ Somalia was again crippled by a drought that threatened to kill hundreds of thousands more.
threaten somebody/something with something
▪ Our rainforests are being threatened with destruction, and the consequences will be severe.
▷ threat /θret/ [countable noun]
something that is a threat is likely to cause something unpleasant to happen :
threat of
▪ The threat of inflation and high interest rates led to a wage freeze.
▪ the threat of invasion
threat to
▪ After the floods, contaminated water was a serious threat to public health.
pose a threat (for)
▪ Global warming poses a serious threat for the future.
5. to be likely to be successful
▷ have/stand a good chance /hæv, stænd ə ˌgʊd ˈtʃɑːns ǁ-ˈtʃæns/ [verb phrase not in progressive]
▪ ‘Do you think he’ll get the job?’ ‘Well, he certainly has a very good chance.’
have/stand a good chance of doing something
▪ I think Bart’s design stands a really good chance of winning the competition.
▷ be set to do something /biː ˌset tə ˈduː/ [verb phrase]
to be very likely to be successful because of being well prepared or because the present situation is favourable :
▪ The band’s new album is set to become the biggest hit of the year.
look set to do something
▪ Shares in the company look set to soar.
▷ be on course /biː ɒn ˈkɔːʳs/ [verb phrase]
to be likely to achieve something because there has already been some success :
be on course for
▪ The business is on course for record profits this year.
be on course to do something
▪ After three major victories, the Brazilian team seemed on course to win the cup.
6. to be likely to do something surprising or bad
▷ be quite capable of /biː ˌkwaɪt ˈkeɪpəb ə l ɒv/ [verb phrase]
use this when you think that someone is fairly likely to do something bad or surprising, because of what you know about their character :
▪ She promised to come, but she’s quite capable of forgetting.
▪ Don’t believe it! He’s quite capable of lying!
▷ I wouldn’t put it past somebody /aɪ ˌwʊdnt pʊt ɪt ˈpɑːst somebody ǁ-ˈpæst-/ informal
use this to say that you think a particular person is fairly likely to do the bad or stupid thing that you are mentioning :
▪ ‘She wouldn’t have read my e-mail, would she?’ ‘Well, I wouldn’t put it past her.’
I wouldn’t put it past sb to do something
▪ I wouldn’t put it past Kevin to have borrowed the car without asking.
7. how likely it is that something will happen
▷ likelihood /ˈlaɪklihʊd/ [uncountable noun]
likelihood of
▪ As you get older, the likelihood of illness increases.
▪ Studies have shown that there is a greater likelihood of teenagers having car accidents.
likelihood (that)
▪ There is little likelihood that the number of college places will go up this year.
▷ probability /ˌprɒbəˈbɪlɪti, ˌprɒbəˈbɪlətiǁˌprɑː-/ [uncountable noun]
how likely it is that something will happen - use this especially about situations where you can calculate fairly exactly how likely something is :
probability of
▪ The probability of catching the disease from your partner is extremely low.
▪ We must increase our efforts to reduce the probability of such an accident happening again.
probability (that)
▪ There is a 90% probability that the hurricane will hit the coast of Florida later today.
a strong probability
▪ There is a strong probability that the problem will recur if we do not deal with it now.
▷ prospect /ˈprɒspektǁˈprɑː-/ [countable/uncountable noun]
the chance that something you hope for will happen soon :
prospect for
▪ The prospects for peace are improving.
no/little prospect of (doing) something
▪ He had no job and no prospect of getting one.
there is every prospect of something
it is very likely
▪ There is every prospect of an economic recovery next year.
▷ chances /ˈtʃɑːnsɪz, ˈtʃɑːnsəzǁˈtʃæn-/ [plural noun]
how likely it is that something you hope for will actually happen :
chances of (doing) something
▪ The new treatment will increase her chances of survival.
▪ For these men the chances of getting another job are not very high.
what are the chances...?
▪ What are the chances of that happening twice in one month?
chances are (that)...
it is likely that
▪ If you eat a balanced, low-fat diet, chances are your arteries will be healthy.
▷ odds /ɒdzǁɑːdz/ [plural noun]
how likely it is that something will happen, especially when this can be stated in numbers :
odds in favour of
▪ The odds in favour of a win for the Russian team are around 10 to 1.
odds of
▪ If you are male, the odds are about 1 in 12 of being colourblind.
odds against
▪ The odds against being killed in a plane crash are very high.
8. possible but not likely
▷ unlikely /ʌnˈlaɪkli/ [adjective]
something that is unlikely will probably not happen or is probably not true :
▪ She might come with us, but it’s fairly unlikely.
unlikely to do something
▪ A small amount of the drug is unlikely to have any harmful effects.
it is unlikely (that)
▪ It is unlikely that anyone saw the attack.
▷ improbable /ɪmˈprɒbəb ə lǁ-ˈprɑː-/ [adjective not before noun] formal
unlikely to happen or unlikely to be true :
highly improbable
▪ Carter claims he paid $4000 for the papers, which seems highly improbable.
▪ The new pay agreement makes further industrial action by the union highly improbable.
it is/seems improbable that
▪ It seems improbable that America’s allies will oppose the proposed arms reduction.
improbability /ɪmˌprɒbəˈbɪlɪti, ɪmˌprɒbəˈbɪlətiǁ-ˌprɑː-/ [uncountable noun]
▪ Because of the improbability of an attack, the army has pulled its forces back from the border..
▷ doubtful /ˈdaʊtf ə l/ [adjective]
very unlikely to be true or very unlikely to happen :
▪ ‘Is Maddy coming tonight?’ ‘It’s looking doubtful - she was really sick.’
it is doubtful that
▪ It’s doubtful that we’ll finish this tonight.
▷ remote /rɪˈməʊt/ [adjective]
extremely unlikely to happen :
▪ The chances of such an accident happening again are very remote.
▪ There is only a remote prospect of peace in the region.
▪ There is a remote possibility the program could be halted, if funding were cut.
9. when it is unlikely that there will be a good result
▷ little chance/hope/possibility/prospect /ˌlɪtl ˈtʃɑːns, ˈhəʊp, ˌpɒsə̇ˈbɪlə̇ti, ˈprɒspektǁ-ˈtʃæns, -ˌpɑːs-, -ˈprɑː-/ [noun phrase]
if there is little chance/hope etc of something happening, it is unlikely to happen, although you want it to happen :
▪ There’s little chance of the hostages being released.
▪ There seemed little prospect of any great decrease in unemployment.
▪ I see little hope of improvement in relations between our two countries.
▷ not stand/have much chance of /nɒt ˌstænd, ˌhæv mʌtʃ ˈtʃɑːns ɒvǁ-ˈtʃæns-/ [verb phrase not in progressive]
to be unlikely to succeed in doing something :
▪ Students who cannot read by this point do not stand much chance of getting the help they need.
▪ We weren’t opposed to the plan, but we didn’t think it had much chance of succeeding.
▷ an outside chance /ˌaʊtsaɪd ˈtʃɑːnsǁ-ˈtʃæns/ [singular noun]
a very small possibility of being successful :
have an outside chance of (doing) something
▪ She lost the first two games of the tournament, but still has an outside chance of winning the cup.
there is an outside chance (that)
▪ There’s still an outside chance that the FBI will find the man they are looking for.