The Collaborative International Dictionary
Likely \Like"ly\, a. [Compar. Likelier (l[imac]k"l[i^]*[~e]r); superl. Likeliest.] [That is, like-like. See Like, a.]
-
Worthy of belief; probable; credible; as, a likely story.
It seems likely that he was in hope of being busy and conspicuous.
--Johnson. Having probability; having or giving reason to expect; -- followed by the infinitive; as, it is likely to rain.
Similar; like; alike. [Obs.]
--Spenser.Such as suits; good-looking; pleasing; agreeable; handsome.
--Shak.
--Milton.Having such qualities as make success probable; well adapted to the place; promising; as, a likely young man; a likely servant.
Improbable; unlikely; -- used ironically; as, a likely story. [informal]
Wiktionary
a. (en-superlativelikely)
Usage examples of "likeliest".
They were interested solely in what message was likeliest to increase viewership, advertising profits, and personal bank accounts.
He set Dys in motion, and reached out in the gray space for Crissand and Cevulirn both, settling his own protection on the likeliest targets of hostile magic.
Where was the Stormovik, the armored Russian attack plane that was likeliest to be carrying Katyusha rockets?
Where was the tormovik, the armored Russian attack plane that was likeliest to be carrying Katyusha rockets?
Simon also studied the terrain with a critical eye, trying to decide whether the Deng would be likeliest to blow the dam and let the resulting flood sweep away farms, crops, food animals, and people, or whether they would attempt capturing the dam intact, for their own electrical power needs.
He suspected Mali's obligations would be met by providing raw materials needed to carry out the war effort, but Vishnu and Jefferson were relatively mineral poor, which meant their likeliest treaty export would be soldiers and technicians.
She tracked the Bolo's progress in her head, along an imaginary map that showed the two likeliest routes.
The rebel commander correctly surmised my likeliest choices each step of the way and placed his strongest concentration of firepower in the canyon I chose to enter.
We've staked out the closest port-side bars and gambling joints, the likeliest restaurants.
No, he wasn't stupid at all, not if he knew the fellow at the EPA who was likeliest to give me orders.
But then, before she could answer, I put together whom she worked for, where she was calling from, her likeliest reason for wanting to get hold of the Thomas Brothers, and their likeliest reason for passing her on to me.
If anything or anybody could intimidate the prisoner, the monsters were the likeliest candidates.
The likeliest explanation was that they were cast into confusion because their gods were less with them than those gods usually were.
The gun bore on the place where the Lizard panzers were likeliest to breast the rise.
A calm pilot was a smooth pilot, and a smooth pilot was likeliest to bring his aircrew home again.