likely
Part of speech: adj
noun
adv
Morphological type: derivation
Etymology: 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).
Base: like
Affixes: -ly
Inflected forms:
form: more likely
pos: adj
tags: comparative
form: likelier
pos: adj
tags: comparative
form: most likely
pos: adj
tags: superlative
form: likeliest
pos: adj
tags: superlative
form: likelies
pos: noun
tags: plural
form: more likely
pos: adv
tags: comparative
form: likelier
pos: adv
tags: comparative
form: most likely
pos: adv
tags: superlative
form: likeliest
pos: adv
tags: superlative
Senses:
gloss: Probable; having a greater-than-even chance of occurring.
pos: adj
examples: Rain is likely later this afternoon.
His parents — a restless, titanically self-involved father and a mother who cultivated her inner life in strict solitude — seem a much likelier source for his condition.
Still, Saints looked the likeliest to make the breakthrough, and it came when Jonny Evans could only half-clear a long ball and Chaplow took full advantage.
gloss: Reasonably to be expected; apparently destined, probable.
pos: adj
tags: infinitive
with-to
examples: Do you think there's likely to be snow?
He is likely to succeed at anything he tries.
In truth, Tottenham never really looked like taking all three points and this defeat means they face a battle to reach the knockout stages - with their next home game against PAOK Salonika on 30 November likely to prove decisive.
People who talk about an imminent possibility of war seldom pose this question: What would North Korea’s leadership get from unleashing a war that they are likely to lose in weeks, if not days?
As Trevor Corson, author of “The Story of Sushi” explains, in Japan, sushi is typically eaten at a bar, where it’s customary for the customer to chat with the chef, who can recommend what’s in season. The short window during which the fish is fresh also makes it more likely to be tastier in Japan.
gloss: Appropriate, suitable; believable; promising, having a good potential.
pos: adj
examples: Jones is a likely candidate for management.
The relationship with social status is a likely topic for investigation.
gloss: Plausible; within the realm of credibility.
pos: adj
examples: not a very likely excuse.
The DPRK propagated an extraordinary tale of his birth occurring on Mount Baekdu, one of Korea's most revered sites, being accompanied by shooting stars in the sky. It is more likely that he was born in a small village in the USSR, while his father was serving as a Soviet-backed general during the second world war.
gloss: Leading with high probability to some specified outcome.
pos: adj
examples: a likely recipe for disaster.
gloss: Attractive; pleasant.
pos: adj
tags: archaic
examples: I found a likely spot under a shady tree for the picnic.
gloss: Similar; like; alike.
pos: adj
tags: obsolete
examples: For love is a celestiall harmonie Of likely harts composed of starres concent
gloss: Something or somebody considered likely.
pos: noun
gloss: Probably.
pos: adv
tags: US
examples: Likely he’ll win the election in this economy.
He’ll likely win the election in this economy.
He likely will win the election in this economy.
Most likely he’ll win the election in this economy.
He’ll most likely win the election in this economy.
He most likely will win the election in this economy.
Dismounting on the sidewalk, their helmets still on, they fall into a lengthy conversation. Their dialogue is known only to them. But there is something the men themselves likely don’t know: About a mile away, from a windowless room, two other men are watching them.
gloss: Similarly.
pos: adv
tags: US
obsolete
Derived words: as likely as not
likelihood
likelily
likeliness
likely lad
likely story
more than likely
not likely
not Pygmalion likely
unlikely
Translations:
lang: Bulgarian
word: подходящ
roman: podhodjašt
lang: Finnish
word: sopiva
lang: Finnish
word: todennäköinen
lang: Hungarian
word: megfelelő
lang: Hungarian
word: alkalmas
lang: Italian
word: adatto