apt, liable, and likely. Apt to, liable to, and likely to are similar in meaning and use and need to be handled with care. He is apt to exaggerate means ‘he often exaggerates (as we know from our experience of him)’; he is likely to exaggerate means ‘he can be expected to exaggerate (in this instance)’. He is liable to exaggerate can mean either. When referring to a specific time in the future always use likely: It is likely to rain tomorrow. But it is apt/liable/likely to rain in November means in all three forms ‘November is often a rainy month’