unlikely

英 [ʌnˈlaɪkli]

美 [ʌnˈlaɪkli]

adj.  不大可能发生的; 非心目中的; 非想象的; 难以相信的; 不能信服的

最高级：unlikeliest　

CET4CET6考研TOEFLIELTSTEM4

Oxford 3000 / Collins.4 / BNC.1636 / COCA.2687

牛津词典

adj.

• 不大可能发生的
  not likely to happen; not probable
  1. The project seemed unlikely to succeed.
     这个项目似乎难以成功。
  2. It's most (= very) unlikely that she'll arrive before seven.
     她极不可能在七点前到达。
  3. In the unlikely event of a problem arising, please contact the hotel manager.
     万一出现问题，请找旅馆经理。
• 非心目中的；非想象的
  not the person, thing or place that you would normally think of or expect
  1. He seems a most unlikely candidate for the job.
     他似乎是最不适合担任这项工作的人选。
  2. They have built hotels in the most unlikely places.
     他们把旅馆建在最冷门的地方。
• 难以相信的；不能信服的
  difficult to believe
  1. She gave me an unlikely explanation for her behaviour.
     她对自己行为的解释很难令我信服。

柯林斯词典

• ADJ-GRADED 不太可能的；未必会发生的
  If you say that something isunlikelyto happen orunlikelyto be true, you believe that it will not happen or that it is not true, although you are not completely sure.
  1. A military coup seems unlikely...
     看起来不太可能会发生军事政变。
  2. As with many technological revolutions, you are unlikely to be aware of it...
     就像诸多的技术革命一样，你可能不太会注意到它。
  3. It's now unlikely that future parliaments will bring back the death penalty...
     现在看来，将来议会不太可能恢复死刑。
  4. In the unlikely event of anybody phoning, could you just scribble a message down?
     虽然可能性极小，但如果有人打来电话，你能不能随手把留言记下来？

英英释义

adj

• has little chance of being the case or coming about
  1. an unlikely story
  2. an unlikely candidate for reelection
  3. a butcher is unlikely to preach vegetarianism
• not likely to be true or to occur or to have occurred
  1. legislation on the question is highly unlikely
  2. an improbable event
  Synonym:improbable
• having a probability too low to inspire belief
  Synonym:improbableunbelievableunconvincing

双语例句

• The truth is unlikely to be brought to light by the promised enquiry.
  承诺要进行的调查不太可能揭露真相。
• From an unlikely background he has risen rapidly through the ranks of government.
  虽然没有什么背景，但他在政府中的地位仍然迅速提高。
• Someone who lacks staying power and persistence is unlikely to make a good researcher.
  缺乏耐力和毅力的人不可能成为出色的研究员。
• It is unlikely that the Duke was convinced by such specious arguments.
  公爵不太可能相信这种似是而非的论点。
• It's unlikely that you'll be asked to do anything too taxing.
  不大可能叫你做什么太费劲的事儿。
• He and Paula made an unlikely pair.
  他和葆拉不太可能成为一对儿。
• The controversy is unlikely to die down.
  争议不大可能平息。
• A little selfish behaviour is unlikely to cause real damage to those around us
  稍许自私的行为不会对我们身边的人造成实质性伤害。
• Britain appears unlikely to break ranks with other members of the European Union.
  英国看起来不会与欧盟的其他成员反目。
• He is unlikely to veer from his boss's strongly held views
  他不可能背离他老板的强硬立场。