as in unlikely
not likely to be true or to occur
it seems improbable that the two writers never met since they traveled in the same social circles
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Recent Examples of improbable
Cool, clear mornings give way to afternoons shaped by the low winter arc of the sun, painting the mountains in long shadows and the sky in improbable color.
—
Josh Jackson, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Though Vonn’s recent injury may affect her competition and performance, her improbable comeback —after five years of retirement and a partial knee replacement — exemplifies what veteran Olympic athletes can teach us.
—Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 4 Feb. 2026
Trump has always trusted his gut, and his unorthodox political instincts led to one of the most unlikely victories in American politics in 2016 and then, eight years later, its most improbable comeback.
—Jonathan Lemire, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2026
There is a contrarian streak that runs through John Bonner, a streak that takes the improbable and bends it to the possible — before bringing it to reality.
—Brian Robin, Oc Register, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for improbable
Josh Jackson, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Though Vonn’s recent injury may affect her competition and performance, her improbable comeback —after five years of retirement and a partial knee replacement — exemplifies what veteran Olympic athletes can teach us.
—Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 4 Feb. 2026
Trump has always trusted his gut, and his unorthodox political instincts led to one of the most unlikely victories in American politics in 2016 and then, eight years later, its most improbable comeback.
—Jonathan Lemire, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2026
There is a contrarian streak that runs through John Bonner, a streak that takes the improbable and bends it to the possible — before bringing it to reality.
—Brian Robin, Oc Register, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for improbable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for improbable
unlikely
Adjective
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The series follows a teenage boy who forms an unlikely alliance with the Fairy Queen of Celtic lore to search for malevolent mythical creatures from around the world, among them the Yeti, Baba Yaga and a Lady Dracula — not to destroy them, but to save them from impending doom.—
Ed Meza,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
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Costco, by contrast, is betting that visible, if measured, support for diversity can coexist with—and even underpin—a booming business, turning the warehouse club into an unlikely bellwether for how far corporate America is willing to go in defying the president’s DEI directive.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Improbable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/improbable. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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