improbable
/in'prɔbəbl/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Unlikely to be true or to happen: Describes something that has a very low chance of being true, occurring, or having occurred.
- Not inspiring belief due to low probability: Describes a story, event, or outcome that is so unlikely it is difficult to believe.
Examples of Usage
- Adjective:
- His explanation for being late was highly improbable.
- It seems improbable that it will snow in the desert.
- The witness gave an improbable account of the accident.
Advanced Usage
- "improbable as it may seem": Used to concede that something is very unlikely before stating it.
- Improbable as it may seem, he actually won the lottery twice.
- "highly improbable": An intensifier meaning "extremely unlikely."
- A victory for the underdog team is highly improbable, but not impossible.
Variants and Related Words
- Improbability (noun): The quality or state of being improbable.
- The improbability of the event made it all the more shocking.
- Improbably (adverb): In an unlikely manner.
- The movie ends with the hero improbably escaping unharmed.
Synonyms
- Unlikely: Not likely to happen or be true.
- Implausible: Not seeming reasonable or probable; failing to convince.
- Far-fetched: Unlikely and unconvincing; improbable.
Antonyms
- Probable: Likely to happen or be the case.
- Likely: Such as well might happen or be true.
- Plausible: Seeming reasonable or probable.
Related Phrases and Idioms
- A tall story: An improbable or unbelievable story (this idiom is synonymous with an improbable tale).
- He told us some improbable tall story about meeting a famous actor.
Adjective
- too improbable to admit of belief
- a tall story
- having a probability too low to inspire belief
- not likely to be true or to occur or to have occurred
- legislation on the question is highly unlikely
- an improbable event