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).
Probable; having a greater-than-even chance of occurring.
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.2009 May 24, Laura Miller, “Faking It”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 28 Sep 2021:
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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.2011 January 29, Ian Hughes, “Southampton 1 - 2 Man Utd”, in BBC:
2
Infinitive, With to, As predicate 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.
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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.2011 November 3, Chris Bevan, “Rubin Kazan 1 - 0 Tottenham”, in BBC Sport:
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?2013 April 9, Andrei Lankov, “Stay Cool. Call North Korea’s Bluff.”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 21 May 2020:
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.2023 June 15, Rebecca Wallwork, “‘You had to be there’: Foods that taste better on home turf”, in CNN:
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.
4
Plausible; within the realm of credibility.
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.2011 December 19, Kerry Brown, “Kim Jong-il obituary”, in The Guardian:
5
Leading with high probability to some specified outcome.
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).
1
Something or somebody considered likely.
likely
adv
Etymology From Middle English likely, likly, lykly, likliche, from Old English ġelīclīċe (“equally”) and Old Norse líkliga, glíkliga (“likely”), both from Proto-Germanic *līkalīka, equivalent to like + -ly (adverbial suffix).