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unlikely

beginnerA2

/ʌnˈlaɪkli/ · un-like-ly

Not likely to happen or be true.

Meanings

adjectiveformal

Not likely to happen or be true.

ایسا ہونے یا سچ ہونے کا امکان نہیں ہے۔

غیر متوقع

ghair mutawaqqa

Synonyms

improbabledoubtfulunpromisingنہ ہونے والاناممکنشک کی بات

Antonyms

likelycertainprobableمتوقعیقینیامکانی

Common Collocations

  • unlikely event
  • unlikely outcome
  • unlikely story

Example Sentences

It is unlikely that it will rain tomorrow.

یہ غیر متوقع ہے کہ کل بارش ہوگی۔

Yeh ghair mutawaqqa hai ke kal barish hogi.

Her chances of winning the lottery are highly unlikely.

اس کے لاٹری جیتنے کے امکانات بہت غیر متوقع ہیں۔

Us ke lottery jeetne ke imkanat bohat ghair mutawaqqa hain.

Given the circumstances, success seems unlikely.

حالات کے پیش نظر، کامیابی غیر متوقع لگتی ہے۔

Halaat ke pesh nazar, kamiabi ghair mutawaqqa lagti hai.

Easily Confused With

unlikelyhood:Unlike 'unlikely', which describes a lack of likelihood, 'unlikelyhood' refers to the quality of being unlikely.

Word Family

likeliness
nounممکنیت

See Also

💡 Memory Tip

Remember 'un' means not, and 'likely' suggests a chance.

Picture a cloudy sky with no chance of sun to remember unlikely.

✍️ Urdu Poetry

ہزاروں خواہشیں ایسی کہ ہر خواہش پہ دم نکلے، بہت نکلے میرے ارمان لیکن پھر بھی کم نکلے

Hazaron khwahishen aisi ke har khwahish pe dam nikle, Bohat nikle mere armaan lekin phir bhi kam nikle.

Thousands of desires, each so intense that I can die for them; many were fulfilled, yet few remained unfulfilled.

Mirza Ghalib, Unverified

* Poetry attribution is AI-generated and may require verification.

🗣️ Urdu Proverb

ایک بوجھ اٹھا نہ سکیں، پھر کیا کریں گے؟

Ek bojh utha na sakein, phir kya karenge?

If one cannot lift a burden, what will they do?

📖 Etymology

Origin: Old English "unlic" — not like

First known use: 14th century

The word 'unlikely' is derived from the prefix 'un-' meaning 'not' and 'likely' which comes from the Old English 'lic', indicating resemblance or likelihood.