ENGLISH
REFERENCE

likelihood

n. uncountable
C1 Advanced Oxford US //ˈɫaɪkɫiˌhʊd// UK //lˈaɪklihˌʊd// like·li·hood Archaic

n. the chance that something will happen. You use it to talk about how probable a future event is.

n. the probability or chance of a specific event occurring. Often used with 'of' or followed by a 'that' clause to quantify the degree of certainty.


SIMPLE

There is a high likelihood of rain this afternoon.

CONTEXTUAL

The likelihood of finding a parking spot in the city center decreases significantly after nine in the morning.

COMPLEX

Economists are debating the likelihood that the central bank will raise interest rates before the end of the fiscal quarter, given the recent cooling of inflation.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From Middle English liklihode, equivalent to likely + -hood.

Usage

Commonly follows the adjectives 'high', 'low', 'strong', or 'increased'. Often appears in the phrase 'in all likelihood' to mean 'very probably'.

Pitfall

the likelihood for it to happenthe likelihood of it happeningLikelihood is typically followed by 'of' plus a gerund or noun, rather than 'for' plus an infinitive.

© 2026 English Reference