Likely (adjective) means probable or expected to happen or be true. As an adverb, it means probably. Example: She is likely to pass the exam if she keeps studying.
What Does Likely Mean?
Likely comes from Old Norse líkligr ("probable, resembling"), related to líkr ("like, similar"). It entered Middle English in the 14th century and has been used as both adjective and adverb ever since. The same Germanic root gives us the preposition like, the noun likelihood, and the adjective unlikely.
As an adjective, likely describes something that will probably happen or is probably true: a likely result, the most likely cause, rain is likely this evening. It also appears in the pattern subject + be + likely to + infinitive: She is likely to win the prize.
As an adverb, likely means probably. In British English it is standard on its own after a modal or auxiliary verb (He will likely refuse), though formal style frequently adds most or very as a reinforcer: He will most likely refuse. Avoid placing likely alone at the start of a sentence in formal British writing — use probably or rephrase with most likely instead.
Do not confuse likely with liable. Liable implies a negative tendency or legal obligation (You are liable to be fined), whereas likely is probability-neutral and can describe positive, negative, or neutral outcomes.
Example Sentences
| Sentence | Level & usage note |
|---|---|
| It is likely to rain tomorrow, so bring an umbrella. | A2 — adjective; be + likely + to-infinitive; weather context |
| She is likely to pass the exam if she keeps studying. | B1 — adjective; subject + be + likely + to-infinitive; conditional context |
| The most likely cause of the delay was a signal failure on the line. | B1 — adjective as pre-modifier with superlative; formal report style |
| The government will most likely announce the decision on Friday. | B2 — adverb with reinforcer "most"; formal register; news/politics |
| Economic uncertainty makes it less likely that firms will increase investment in the short term. | C1 — comparative "less likely"; academic/formal register; complex clause |
Collocations
| Collocation | Example |
|---|---|
| most likely | The most likely explanation is human error. |
| very likely | It is very likely that prices will rise next year. |
| highly likely | A merger is now highly likely, according to analysts. |
| quite likely | It is quite likely she has already heard the news. |
| more / less likely | Exercise makes you more likely to sleep well at night. |
| likely outcome | The most likely outcome is a draw. |
| likely cause | Investigators identified the likely cause of the fire. |
| likely candidate | She is the most likely candidate for the promotion. |
| likely scenario | In the most likely scenario, talks will resume next month. |
| a likely story (ironic) | "I forgot my homework." — "A likely story!" |
Usage Notes
Key patterns to remember
Adjective — it-clause pattern: It is likely + that-clause.
It is likely that she will be promoted next month.
Adjective — subject pattern: Subject + be + likely + to-infinitive.
She is likely to be promoted next month.
Adverb pattern (British English): Subject + modal/auxiliary + (most/very) likely + main verb.
The report will most likely be published next week.
Comparative and superlative: Use more likely / most likely rather than likelier / likeliest — the latter forms exist but are rare in modern British English.
Register: Likely suits all registers. Probably is more common in casual speech; likely is slightly more formal and preferred in written and academic English.
Common Mistakes
Watch Out For
She is liable to win the prize. (liable implies a negative tendency or legal risk — wrong word here)
She is likely to win the prize. (neutral probability — correct)
It is likely that she passes the exam. (wrong tense in the that-clause when referring to the future)
It is likely that she will pass the exam. (future reference requires "will")
She is likely going to call later. (avoid combining "likely" with "going to" — use one structure)
She is likely to call later. / She is probably going to call later.
Likely, he forgot. (sentence-initial "likely" alone is non-standard in British English)
He most likely forgot. / He probably forgot.