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unlikely
WORDNET DICTIONARY
Adjective unlikely has 3 senses
- unlikely(a = adj.all) improbable - not likely to be true or to occur or to have occurred; "legislation on the question is highly unlikely"; "an improbable event" Derived form noun unlikeliness1
- unlikely(a = adj.all) Array - has little chance of being the case or coming about; "an unlikely story"; "an unlikely candidate for reelection"; "a butcher is unlikely to preach vegetarianism" Antonym: likely
- unlikely(s = adj.all) improbable, unbelievable, unconvincing - having a probability too low to inspire belief; Array Derived form noun unlikeliness1
Derived form noun unlikeliness1
CIDE DICTIONARY
unlikely, a.
- Not likely; improbable; not to be reasonably expected; as, an unlikely event; the thing you mention is very unlikely. [1913 Webster]
- Not holding out a prospect of success; likely to fail; unpromising; as, unlikely means. Hooker. [1913 Webster]
- Not such as to inspire liking; unattractive; disagreeable. Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
unlikely, adv.
In an unlikely manner. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
unlikely, adj. (unlikelier, unlikeliest)
1 improbable (unlikely tale).
2 (foll. by to + infin.) not to be expected to do something (he's unlikely to be available).
3 unpromising (an unlikely candidate).
1 improbable (unlikely tale).
2 (foll. by to + infin.) not to be expected to do something (he's unlikely to be available).
3 unpromising (an unlikely candidate).
Derivative
unlikelihood n. unlikeliness n.
THESAURUS
unlikely
distasteful, doubtable, doubtful, dubious, dubitable, hardly possible, implausible, improbable, inappropriate, inauspicious, inconceivable, incredible, more than doubtful, objectionable, questionable, remote, unacceptable, unattractive, unbecoming, uncongenial, unfit, unfitting, unimaginable, unpromising, unpropitious, unseemly, unsuitable, unthinkableROGET THESAURUS
unlikely
Impossibility
N impossibility, what cannot, what can never be, sour grapes, hopelessness, impossible, not possible, absurd, contrary to reason, unlikely, unreasonable, incredible, beyond the bounds of reason, beyond the bounds of possibility, beyond the realm of possibility, from which reason recoils, visionary, inconceivable, prodigious, unimaginable, inimaginable, unthinkable, impracticable unachievable, unfeasible, infeasible, insuperable, unsurmountable, insurmountable, unattainable, unobtainable, out of reach, out of the question, not to be had, not to be thought of, beyond control, desperate, incompatible, inaccessible, uncomeatable, impassable, impervious, innavigable, inextricable, self- contradictory, out of one's power, beyond one's power, beyond one's depth, beyond one's reach, beyond one's grasp, too much for, ultra crepidam, the grapes are sour, non possumus, non nostrum tantas componere lites, look for a needle in a haystack, chercher une aiguille dans une botte de foin, il a le mer +a boire.Improbability
N improbability, unlikelihood, unfavorable chance, bad chance, ghost of a chance, little chance, small chance, poor chance, scarcely any chance, no chance, bare possibility, long odds, incredibility, improbable, unlikely, contrary to all reasonable expectation, wild, far out, out of sight, outtasight, heavy, rare, unheard of, inconceivable, unimaginable, inimaginable, incredible, more than doubtful, strange, bizarre (uncomformable), the chances are against, aquila non capit muscas, pedir peras pal olmo.
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