That's not likely to happen vs That’s unlikely

Both phrases are correct and can be used interchangeably to express the idea that something is not probable or expected to occur. They convey the same meaning but with slightly different structures. The choice between them depends on personal preference or the context in which they are used.

Last updated: March 21, 2024 • 3274 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to express that something is improbable or not expected to occur.

"That's not likely to happen"

This phrase is used to convey the idea that an event or situation is not probable or expected to take place.

Examples:

Given the current circumstances, that's not likely to happen.
She said it's not likely to happen, but we can still hope for the best.
That's not likely to happen anytime soon.
I know you're worried, but that's not likely to happen.
He assured me that's not likely to happen again.

Show examples from the web [+]

Oct 22, 2015 ... Can the iPhone 6s help Apple beat its record-breaking Christmas quarter from a year ago? That's one question many analysts have tried to answer, but a new prediction from a reliable source says that's not likely to happen.
That's not likely to happen any time soon either. If it were a reasonably tractable problem Sigma would likely have made one. And I think Nikon is well aware of such development too. If they cannot provide a decent photo enthusiast grade ...
Sep 12, 2015 ... That's not likely to happen, as long as the survey was conducted in Japanese. USA → アメリカ, 米国べいこく. As like most nations outside US do, we prefer to abbreviate the country's name to toponym. USSR → ソ連れん ...
Mar 9, 2016 ... That's not likely to happen soon, so here's why you should be cautious about language that's intended to protect you but could toss you into some hot water. #1 : No Home Inspection is Ever Visual Only. If your contract says that ...

Alternatives:

that’s unlikely
it's improbable
it's not expected
it's doubtful
it's not probable

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to convey that something is improbable or not expected to happen.

"That’s unlikely"

This phrase is used to indicate that an event or situation is not probable or expected to occur.

Examples:

That’s unlikely to happen given the circumstances.
She thinks that’s unlikely to happen, but we can still prepare for it.
It’s unlikely that will happen anytime soon.
I believe that’s unlikely to happen.
He mentioned that’s unlikely to happen again.

Show examples from the web [+]

English Sentences Focusing on Words and Their Word Families The Word " Unlikely" in Example Sentences Page 1. www.manythings.org/sentences/words/ unlikely « Back [ 1 ] Next ». 2283749 It's unlikely. CK 1 2111390 That's unlikely.
Feb 29, 2016 ... Donald Trump says he'll attract Democrats; polls say that's unlikely. Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump bashes Republican rival Marco Rubio as he talks to supporters at a campaign rally in an airplane hanger ...
Feb 26, 2016 ... Donald Trump suggests he was audited because of his 'strong Christian faith.' Here's why that's unlikely. The inside track on Washington politics. Be the first to know about new stories from PowerPost. Sign up to follow, and ...
If Only A Contested Convention Can Stop Trump, It's A Plan That's Unlikely To Succeed. Doug Mataconis · Friday, March 4, 2016 · 18 Comments · 2012 GOP Convention. Over at The New York Times, Nate Cohn looks at the state of the race so ...

Alternatives:

that's not likely to happen
it's improbable
it's not expected
it's doubtful
it's not probable

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That's not likely to happen vs That’s unlikely