Meaning

7 senses
  1. Probable; having a greater-than-even chance of occurring.

    Rain is likely later this afternoon.

    wahrscheinlich

    вероя́тныйverojátnyj, возмо́жныйvozmóžnyj

    імові́рнийimovírnyj, ймові́рнийjmovírnyj, можли́вийmožlývyj

  2. (infinitive, with to)Reasonably to be expected; apparently destined, probable.

    Do you think there's likely to be snow?

    He is likely to succeed at anything he tries.

  3. Appropriate, suitable; believable; promising, having a good potential.

    Jones is a likely candidate for management.

    The relationship with social status is a likely topic for investigation.

    го́дныйgódnyj, подходя́щийpodxodjáščij, приго́дныйprigódnyj

  4. Plausible; within the realm of credibility.

    not a very likely excuse.

    wahrscheinlich, glaubhaft, plausibel

    within the realm of credibility

  5. Leading with high probability to some specified outcome.

    a likely recipe for disaster.

  6. (archaic)Attractive; pleasant.

    I found a likely spot under a shady tree for the picnic.

    привлека́тельныйprivlekátelʹnyj, очарова́тельныйočarovátelʹnyj, обаятельныйobajatelʹnyj

  7. (obsolete)Similar; like; alike.

Examples

4760 sentences
  1. It is likely to rain again.

    Напевно знову дощитиме.

    ruВероятно, опять будет дождь.

    deEs wird wahrscheinlich wieder regnen.

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  2. It is likely to rain today.

    Схоже, що сьогодні буде дощ.

    deEs regnet heute wahrscheinlich.

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  3. He is likely to arrive soon.

    Здається, він скоро буде тут.

    ruОн, вероятно, скоро прибудет.

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  4. Tom is likely older than Mary.

    Том, скоріш за все, старший, ніж Мері.

    ruСкорее всего, Том старше Мэри.

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  5. It's likely that Tom will come.

    Ймовірно, Том прийде.

    ruВероятно, Том придёт.

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Translations

8 languages
Українська
By meaning 1
probable; having a greater-than-even chance of occurring:
Русский
By meaning 4
probable; having a greater-than-even chance of occurring:
appropriate; believable; having a good potential:
promising; apt to achieve success or yield a desired outcome:
attractive; pleasant:
Deutsch
By meaning 2
probable; having a greater-than-even chance of occurring:
plausible; within the realm of credibility:

Origin

From Middle English likely, likly, lykly, likliche, from Old English ġelīclīċ (“suitable”)

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).

Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Forms

more likely/likelier, most likely/likeliest
Comparativemore likely / likelier Lesson
Superlativemost likely / likeliest Lesson

regular

Synonyms

3 synonyms
as predicate, followed by "to" and infinitive:liable
Close in meaning
  • expected to become or be; in prospect:potential

Antonyms

1 antonyms

Word family

7 related words

Collocations

12 patterns
  • is likely to
  • likely to be
  • will likely be
  • likely to still
  • very likely to
  • not likely to
  • likely to do
  • isn't very likely
  • likely going to
  • likely to happen
  • likely to win
  • likely do that

See also

neighbours in the dictionary
likely — meaning, examples, forms, synonyms | Krumeto