1
as in probable
having a high chance of occurring
if you don't graduate from high school, your likely fate is a low-paying job
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in promising
having qualities which inspire hope
this looks like a likely spot for good trout fishing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in plausible
worthy of being accepted as true or reasonable
we didn't find her excuse a very likely story
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in pretty
very pleasing to look at
a likely gal such as yourself should have no trouble getting a date
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in probably
by reasonable assumption
the picnic will likely be cancelled if the storm continues
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of likely
Bethy Squires, Vulture, 2 Apr. 2026
That trend was always likely to continue this year, but the war in Iran may be giving it a fresh geopolitical push.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026
Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 4 Apr. 2026
Think of such long-term program guys as Jamari McDowell and Elmarko Jackson, both of whom will likely take pay cuts/get recruited over.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for likely
Adjective
Police say the woman is known to Buckingham from past incidents, and an arrest is likely.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 2 Apr. 2026
That trend was always likely to continue this year, but the war in Iran may be giving it a fresh geopolitical push.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026
Adverb
Rickon said that at 70 pounds, Slim Shady was undersized and likely hadn’t had adequate space for his habitat to this time.
—Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 4 Apr. 2026
Think of such long-term program guys as Jamari McDowell and Elmarko Jackson, both of whom will likely take pay cuts/get recruited over.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for likely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for likely
Adjective
-
In a March 31 probable-cause affidavit obtained by People, police reveal Woods had two hydrocodone pills in his pocket following his arrest for driving under the influence.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Fernandez was able to seek to overturn her conviction using Senate Bill 1437, a law that took effect in 2019 and allows people to seek resentencing if they were convicted of felony murder or under the natural and probable consequences doctrine.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Pharmaceutical companies must typically invest many years and hundreds of millions of dollars to win approval for a drug; partly for this reason, some promising treatments are never approved, and many arrive too late for people who urgently need them.—
Dhruv Khullar,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Despite these promising signals, large-scale, long-term human studies remain limited.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
And then in 1844 came Robert Chambers’s best-selling proto-Darwinist Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation, which sketched a plausible outline of biological evolution.—
Kathryn Hughes,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Which is to say, that project did not exactly fly under the radar of plausible deniability.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In the village's old marketplace, 18 pretty rooms are arranged around a pool courtyard.—
Selina Denman,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Pink and white jelly floral nails Floral manicures are always pretty, but this look takes the feminine vibe to the next level.—
Annie Blay-Tettey,
Allure,
30 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Adams, who did not answer my e-mails—an alpha move, no doubt—would probably have been proud.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The pregnancy storyline this season is probably the most mature one the show’s had so far.—
Arushi Jacob,
Variety,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
If possible, set aside some time today to journal, listen to your favorite music, or just take a nap!—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
1 Apr. 2026
-
If trapped by moving water, seek the highest possible point and contact emergency services by calling 911.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The ground floor is almost entirely devoted to the bright main restaurant and bar.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Situated on a parcel of what was once bright-green Iowa pasture, our supercomputing facility may not look like much.—
Jed Feiman,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Such an initiative would require a credible institutional anchor.—
Comfort Ero,
Time,
3 Apr. 2026
-
This was due to the fact that there were so many credible Democrats dividing the 65% to 70% of voters who at least lean left.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Likely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/likely. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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