Likely Meaning
/ˈlaɪkli/Definition, CEFR level A2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
adj/advProbable or expected; probably.
adjProbable; having a greater-than-even chance of occurring.
Sentence Examples
Heavy rain is likely by late afternoon, according to the forecast.
The most likely explanation is that his plane was delayed.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
Since she studied hard, she is ____ to pass the difficult exam.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
It's ____ to rain this afternoon according to the forecast.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English likely, likly, lykly, likliche, from Old English ġelīclīċ (“suitable”) and Old Norse líkligr (“likely”) (probably independent formations), equivalent to like + -ly (adjectival suffix).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"His parents — a restless, titanically self-involved father and a mother who cultivated her inner life in strict solitude — seem a much likelier source for his condition."
— 2009 May 24, Laura Miller, “Faking It”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 28 Sep 2021:
"Still, Saints looked the likeliest to make the breakthrough, and it came when Jonny Evans could only half-clear a long ball and Chaplow took full advantage."
— 2011 January 29, Ian Hughes, “Southampton 1 - 2 Man Utd”, in BBC:
"In truth, Tottenham never really looked like taking all three points and this defeat means they face a battle to reach the knockout stages - with their next home game against PAOK Salonika on 30 November likely to prove decisive."
— 2011 November 3, Chris Bevan, “Rubin Kazan 1 - 0 Tottenham”, in BBC Sport:
"People who talk about an imminent possibility of war seldom pose this question: What would North Korea’s leadership get from unleashing a war that they are likely to lose in weeks, if not days?"
— 2013 April 9, Andrei Lankov, “Stay Cool. Call North Korea’s Bluff.”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 21 May 2020:
"As Trevor Corson, author of “The Story of Sushi” explains, in Japan, sushi is typically eaten at a bar, where it’s customary for the customer to chat with the chef, who can recommend what’s in season. The short window during which the fish is fresh also makes it more likely to be tastier in Japan."
— 2023 June 15, Rebecca Wallwork, “‘You had to be there’: Foods that taste better on home turf”, in CNN:
Explore More A2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Since she studied hard, she is ____ to pass the difficult exam.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
It's ____ to rain this afternoon according to the forecast.