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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of likely
Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech, The Hill, 11 Dec. 2024
Smaller farms are more likely to be affected by a lack of workers, says Escalante, while larger farms may switch to mechanization.
—Matt Reynolds, WIRED, 11 Dec. 2024
Liz Elting, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
The team who will finish in that final slot is likely going to need 10 wins, which means the 6-9 Niners will have to run the table to have a shot at making the playoffs.
—Andy Scholes, CNN, 12 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for likely 
Adjective
Women in their 20s were also the most likely to have gotten a birth control method or prescription that year — 31.5 percent — followed by teenagers at 23.7.
—Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech, The Hill, 11 Dec. 2024
Smaller farms are more likely to be affected by a lack of workers, says Escalante, while larger farms may switch to mechanization.
—Matt Reynolds, WIRED, 11 Dec. 2024
Adverb
Amazon isn’t the only organization that will likely lose talent due to RTO requirements—a Resume Builder survey found that eight in ten companies lost talent due to their RTO mandates.
—Liz Elting, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
The team who will finish in that final slot is likely going to need 10 wins, which means the 6-9 Niners will have to run the table to have a shot at making the playoffs.
—Andy Scholes, CNN, 12 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for likely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for likely
Adjective
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Advertisement Rather, Harris would need to view the job as a probable career-capper, taking pride in solving complex problems that are eating away at her native state.George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 15 Dec. 2024
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He was listed as questionable for the Lakers’ next game, in Atlanta on Dec. 6, before being upgraded to probable pregame and eventually playing.Jovan Buha, The Athletic, 14 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Darius Slay batted down Bryce Young’s fourth-down attempt two plays later, securing the ninth-straight victory for an 11-2 team that just got a sneak preview of how its promising season can end.Brooks Kubena, The Athletic, 9 Dec. 2024
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In the six conversations below, some of this year's most promising and ambitious chefs discuss everything from overcoming self-doubt during their first year in business to the work of preserving and amplifying their culture.Elazar Sontag, Bon Appétit, 9 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Both the majority and the dissenters advance plausible arguments regarding the legality of Southern’s pricing practices under the RPA.Alden Abbott, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
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This spiraled into a multi-stage interrogation of three other brothers where a plausible story was developed.Caleb Harris, Austin American-Statesman, 13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Despite pretty snowy scenes featured in movies and Christmas cards, not everyone welcomes it.Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
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Cookie Break An easy icing technique gives classic sugar cookies a marbled finish in pretty pastels.Amy Panos, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Dec. 2024
Adverb
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Texas will probably drop a few spots from No. 2 in the rankings but stay high enough to host a first-round game.The Athletic College Football, The Athletic, 8 Dec. 2024
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The Facebook claim probably comes from a March report in The Washington Post that found the program’s slow rollout meant only seven charging stations had been completed.Kwasi Gyamfi Asiedu, Austin American-Statesman, 8 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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People can stay safe from possible carbon monoxide poisoning by taking precautionary measures.Kayla Jimenez, USA TODAY, 19 Dec. 2024
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Prior to Tuesday night’s filing, Spiro had pushed for expediting the mayor’s case as much as possible, requesting shorter timelines and pushing for his trial to start as early as March.Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 18 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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That advanced air-suspension system shines brightest while cornering, as the Gravity begins to lean over just a bit, pushing weight onto the outside tires until the rear end squares up and plants, then the vehicle shoves off into seeming warp speed yet again.Michael Van Runkle, Robb Report, 10 Dec. 2024
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The sky at the top of their driveway grew a brighter and brighter shade of red.Matt Hamilton, Los Angeles Times, 10 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Others identified for deportation are serving prison terms, or have received a reprieve or deferral from an immigration judge due to a medical condition, a credible persecution threat or another extenuating factor.Nick Miroff The Washington Post, arkansasonline.com, 8 Dec. 2024
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Between 1850 and 2004, 51 credible tsunamis were recorded in San Francisco Bay, according to 2004 research led by Lori Dengler, a professor emeritus at Cal Poly Humboldt.Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 7 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near likely
Cite this Entry
“Likely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/likely. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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