probable

Examples

• All

• And it's possible, maybe even probable, that MXR is wrong.

  LegalEagle

• It just said that shift work was a probable human carcinogen.

  The Royal Institution

• Is a full house more probable than a street or not?

• Hey, look at where the most probable value of R is here.

• The best it can be is just probable, right?

  Danny Jones

• At the time, it seemed probable that the squadron commander had been hit by ground fire.

  Fiction book (2000)

• You know, it's very probable they're taking five classes.

• Hunter emphasized the need for students to develop skills in identifying problems, possible solutions, and probable consequences.

  Academic text (2011)

• No doubt Yossi was being dense, but the probable reason for this call did not cross his mind.

  Fiction book (1993)

• The storm is probable to arrive by evening, so we should prepare in advance.

Synonyms

L

likely

vsprobable

∞ 1.0

People expect it to happen or be true

is a slightly more formal term expressing the same uncertain likelihood

P

presumptive

vsprobable

26 7.3

Likely to be true because of evidence, not certain

is a general term for likelihood without stressing evidential basis

I

in the cards

vsprobable

• Informal

25 6.1

Likely to happen

is the neutral, non-idiomatic way to express possibility

Antonyms

U

unlikely

486 1.9

People do not expect it to happen or be true

I

improbable

51 4.9

Not likely to happen or be true

Compounds

P

probable cause

• Formal

77 6.8

Reason enough for police to arrest someone or search property

How Likely

certain

286 1.0

likely

∞ 1.0

probable

159 3.4

plausible

137 7.2

possible

∞ 1.0

unlikely

486 1.9

impossible

∞ 1.4

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology