not likely

adjective
UK: /nɒt ˈlaɪkli/
US: /nɑːt ˈlaɪkli/

  1. Something that is not expected to happen or be true; improbable.

    1. It is not likely to rain today.
    2. Given his poor performance, it's not likely that he will get promoted.

Synonyms

improbable unlikely doubtful questionable
not likely adverb

  1. Used to express doubt or disbelief about something.

    1. Is he going to win? Not likely!
    2. Will they actually finish on time? Not likely, considering the delays.

Frequently Asked Questions

The phonetic transcription of "not likely" is /nɒt ˈlaɪkli/ in British English and /nɑːt ˈlaɪkli/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "not likely": improbable, unlikely, doubtful, questionable.

Example usage of "not likely": "It is not likely to rain today.". More examples on the page.