as in doubtful
not likely to be true or to occur
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Recent Examples of unlikely
The Supreme Court looks unlikely to place limits on birthright citizenship.
—
Rob Crilly, The Washington Examiner, 3 Apr. 2026
Alas, the former seems unlikely.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
The forward is unlikely to grow into a hulking frame.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
The test is not intended for women without symptoms and is unlikely to become a standard screening test for all women.
—Dr. Chidimma J. Acholonu, ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unlikely
Rob Crilly, The Washington Examiner, 3 Apr. 2026
Alas, the former seems unlikely.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
The forward is unlikely to grow into a hulking frame.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
The test is not intended for women without symptoms and is unlikely to become a standard screening test for all women.
—Dr. Chidimma J. Acholonu, ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unlikely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unlikely
Adjective
-
With key Pistons defenders like Ausar Thompson (ankle), Cade Cunningham (lung), and Isaiah Stewart (calf) sidelined or doubtful, Gilgeous-Alexander has a prime opportunity to exploit the matchup.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
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Starting center Neemias Queta — who, like Tatum, was listed as questionable against Charlotte before being upgraded before tipoff — is doubtful to play against Atlanta with a right thumb sprain.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
After being handed a fake car from a dubious contest, Castillo filed a real lawsuit against the station for $60,000.—
John Tufts,
IndyStar,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The price of gasoline in June 2022 wins that dubious distinction.—
Jose R. Gonzalez,
AZCentral.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Towns was downgraded to questionable Friday morning, shot around ahead of tipoff against Chicago, then grimaced and grabbed at his arm before leaving the floor and being ruled out for the night with a right elbow impingement.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
4 Apr. 2026
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Veteran guard Marcus Smart was officially ruled out for the Dallas game on Saturday – his seventh consecutive game missed – while forward Jarred Vanderbilt was added to the injury report as questionable with right calf soreness.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But Viktor Arvidsson, who assisted on all three regulation goals and is proving to be a fantastic acquisition, beat Greaves on a backhander to cash the two highly improbable points.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
30 Mar. 2026
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In 2025, Pavia authored one of the most improbable seasons in recent SEC history.—
Rowan Fisher-Shotton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unlikely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unlikely. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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