1
as in likelihood
the quality or state of being likely to occur
the plot of the movie thriller was exciting and surprising but woefully lacking in probability
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in odds
a measure of how often an event will occur instead of another
the probability of flipping a coin and getting heads 50 times in a row is not good
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of probability
Picture real-time views of what individual players see from their perspective on the field or probability overlays showing the likelihood of different play outcomes based on formation, down, distance, and historical data.
—
Jason Corso, Fortune, 8 Feb. 2026
Clarke explains that New York has some of the strongest statutory double jeopardy protections in the country, so Mangione’s defense might have a higher probability of getting the state case dismissed if federal goes first rather than vice versa.
—Lorena O’Neil, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2026
The researchers clearly conducted multiple comparisons, which is widely known to increase the probability of false-positive findings.
—Eleanor M. Perfetto, STAT, 7 Feb. 2026
Rain chances should be highest on Tuesday, with the greatest probability to the south of the metro area.
—Julia James, Dallas Morning News, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for probability
Jason Corso, Fortune, 8 Feb. 2026
Clarke explains that New York has some of the strongest statutory double jeopardy protections in the country, so Mangione’s defense might have a higher probability of getting the state case dismissed if federal goes first rather than vice versa.
—Lorena O’Neil, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2026
The researchers clearly conducted multiple comparisons, which is widely known to increase the probability of false-positive findings.
—Eleanor M. Perfetto, STAT, 7 Feb. 2026
Rain chances should be highest on Tuesday, with the greatest probability to the south of the metro area.
—Julia James, Dallas Morning News, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for probability
Recent Examples of Synonyms for probability
likelihood
Noun
-
The recent batch of labor market data (both public and private) indicated that there’s a high likelihood that job growth was tepid, that unemployment remained subdued and that health care remained a primary driver of overall hiring.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Eldridge, in all likelihood, won’t be anything more than an emergency outfielder in the same way that teams have an emergency catcher.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Probability.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/probability. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
