adjective
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
highly unlikely/likely/improbable/probable
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It’s highly unlikely that the project will be finished on time.
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADVERB
highly
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The fact that highly improbable circumstances could result in significant upside potential should not affect the presentation.
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Indeed, it makes such an occurrence very highly improbable .
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This would be a highly improbable conclusion.
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Therefore the existence of a universe as stable as this is highly improbable .
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It is therefore highly improbable if not impossible that recent damage to a roof would have caused rot in underlying timbers.
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But it is still highly improbable , a fluke of nature, not a predictable outcome.
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Frankly, this seems highly improbable .
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It is all truly amazing, and highly improbable , given all the ways the system could break down.
more
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What is more improbable is that the Genetic Supermarket, with its emphasis upon individual choice, will bring this possibility nearer.
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Perhaps it is no more improbable than anything else that may happen by chance in this universe.
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They would simply be judged very improbable , the waving statue much more improbable than the lightning.
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What is the force driving matter into ever more complicated, ever more improbable forms?
most
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Given the unhealthy level of policy agreement between Labor and the Liberals that we have now, such cooperation is most improbable .
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This all-embracing assumption is most improbable but it is justifiable since it never lets us down.
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It was the most improbable of finals.
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This account of events certainly fitted the circumstantial evidence, but was seen by the jury as most improbable .
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Most of all, Mr Winchester writes in a way guaranteed to lure the reader on to the most improbable journeys.
very
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However, Dawkins suggests that, given enough time, even very improbable things might happen, and that is that.
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They would simply be judged very improbable , the waving statue much more improbable than the lightning.
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Either we assume that the whole universe is at the present moment in a very improbable state.
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This is also very improbable because everybody knows slugs stick and probably would not fall.
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At first sight this might seem very improbable , because such smooth regions would be heavily outnumbered by chaotic and irregular regions.
■ NOUN
event
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In a phenomenologically complex universe, extremely improbable events are certain to happen.
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An improbable event is one that happens only in one or a few possible worlds.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
vanishingly small/improbable
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But even if this conclusion is not justified, we can say that infallible beliefs must have vanishingly small content.
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For just the same reason, it is vanishingly improbable that exactly the same evolutionary pathway should ever be travelled twice.
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If the object is very distant, linear magnification becomes vanishingly small.
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It would need a gigantic and vanishingly improbable leap across genetic hyperspace.
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On average, the chances of weediness emerging by accident are vanishingly small.
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Statistically, however, the chance of avoiding synonyms altogether is vanishingly small.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
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Carter claims he paid $4000 for the papers, which seems highly improbable .
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It's improbable that she would have been so successful without famous parents.
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It's highly improbable that someone would win the lottery twice.
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It seems improbable that America's allies will oppose the proposed arms reduction.
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The ladies were dressed in improbable combinations of colors.
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The new pay agreement makes further industrial action by the union highly improbable .
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The Rockets managed an improbable victory in last night's game.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
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Alas, his selection would require an improbable U-turn on the part of the Sassenach segment of the selectors.
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An improbable event is one that happens only in one or a few possible worlds.
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Given the unhealthy level of policy agreement between Labor and the Liberals that we have now, such cooperation is most improbable .
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It has deeply divided mid-green leaves that flare to wild, improbable scarlet.
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Nevertheless, the Foxton project was mysteriously improbable even if there had been no internal combustion on the way.
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Perhaps it is no more improbable than anything else that may happen by chance in this universe.
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Therefore the existence of a universe as stable as this is highly improbable .