improbable

/ɪmˈprɒbəbəl/

adjective

  1. not likely to happen or be true; unlikely

    B2

    more/most improbable; often used in 'it is improbable that + clause'

    • "It is improbable that we will finish today."B1
    • "Rain is improbable this afternoon."B1
    • "The team faces an improbable comeback in the final minutes."B2
    • "Although the theory sounds highly improbable, it has not been ruled out."C1

Common mistakes

  • It is improbable to rain tomorrow.→It is improbable that it will rain tomorrow.

    Use 'improbable that + clause', or 'unlikely to + verb'; do not use 'improbable to + verb'.

Collocations

highly improbableextremely improbableseem improbablestatistically improbableimprobable eventimprobable outcomeimprobable story

Word family

improbabilityimprobablyprobableprobablyprobability