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likely Definition

likely (līk′lē)

adjective -·lier, -·li·est

  1. apparently true to the facts; credible; probable a likely cause
  2. seeming as if it would happen or might happen; reasonably to be expected; apparently destined it is likely to rain
  3. such as will probably be satisfactory or rewarding; suitable a likely choice for the job
  4. having good prospects; promising a likely lad
  5. Dialectal attractive; agreeable

Etymology: ME likly, prob. aphetic < OE geliclic (or < ? ON likligr): see like & -ly

adverb -·lier, -·li·est

probably she will very likely go

likely Synonyms

likely

modif.

  1. Probable

    apparent, probable, seeming, credible, possible, feasible, presumable, conceivable, reasonable, conjecturable, practicable, workable, attainable, achievable, ostensible, surmisable, inferable, believable, rational, thinkable, imaginable, plausible, to be supposed, supposable, to be guessed, anticipated, expected, imminent, destined, assumable, grantable, persuasive, warrantable, as like as not.

    Antonyms impossible*, doubtful, questionable.

  2. Promising

    suitable, apt, assuring; see fit 1, 2, hopeful 2.

  3. Believable

    plausible, true, acceptable; see convincing 2.

  4. Apt

    inclined, tending, disposed, predisposed, apt, prone, liable, subject to, on the verge of, in the habit of, given to, in favor of, having a weakness for.

likely suggests probability or an eventuality that can reasonably be expected he's not likely to win; liable and apt are loosely or informally used equivalents of likely, but in strict discrimination, liable implies exposure or susceptibility to something undesirable you're liable to hurt yourself playing with that knife and apt suggests a natural or habitual inclination or tendency such people are apt to be fearful; prone suggests a propensity or predisposition to something that seems almost inevitable she's prone to have accidents

likely Usage Examples

Modifying Another Word

  • hardly: So we're hardly likely to do a heritage feature on a Buell then?
  • highly: Bristol is highly likely to lose its Objective 2 EU status ( based on GDP per head ) from 2006.
  • equally: Developed with reference to the Stonehenge Landscape means that they are equally likely to have utility and application elsewhere.
  • quite: But even if they do, they are quite likely to use other words for it.
  • increasingly: But they are also increasingly likely to have such everyday facilities as telephones.

Infinitive complement

  • occur: Do not swim immediately after a big meal when cramp is more likely to occur.
  • suffer: There is a general effort by researchers to use lab animals that are less likely to suffer the sensations of pain or discomfort.
  • happen: She even picked dates that tied in with what I felt was likely to happen.
  • cause: Cloth diapers are no more likely to cause diaper rash than disposable diapers.
  • affect: Do you think the population explosion is likely to affect you very much in the next 12 years?
  • continue: But failure to restructure the banking system means that the present condition of paralysis is likely to continue.

Modifies a noun

  • outcome: However, there was obvious concern about the likely outcome for Protea, which already had very large classes.
  • impact: However, ToDs cannot ignore the likely impact of such development on the expectations we have of deaf children.
  • scenario: Option two and the more likely scenario, is that they should break away and set up their own ' Independent Conservative Party ' .
  • consequence: The Government would particularly welcome views on the likely practical consequences of the proposed changes.
  • candidate: We were undecided about the third site, tho Warwick and Birmingham seemed likely candidates.
  • culprit: Redmond's partners remain the most likely culprits for the leak, tho this remains unconfirmed.

Used with adjective complement

  • seem: It seemed more likely the beach would have been lightly defended.
  • look: The signs are more hopeful for vocational education, which looks likely to be a major focus of the White Paper.
  • appear: Misoprostol is cheaper than Prostaglandin E2, and apparently the induction to delivery interval is reduced, but uterine hyperstimulation appears more likely.