probabilitynoun [ C or U ]
uk/ˌprɒb.əˈbɪl.ə.ti/us/ˌprɑː.bəˈbɪl.ə.t̬i/C1 the level of possibility of something happening or being true:
What is the probability of winning?
The probability of getting all the answers correct is about one in ten.
There's a high/strong probability (that) (= it is very likely that) she'll be here.
Until yesterday, the project was just a possibility, but now it has become a real probability (= it is likely to happen).
Synonym
likelihood
in all probability
C2 used to mean that something is very likely:
She will, in all probability, have left before we arrive.
More examples
- What's the probability of that happening?
- There's a strong probability that we'll have moved by then.
- There's a distinct probability that Philip will be there.
- There's a high probability that she'll get the job.
- Against all probability we found ourselves in the same hotel.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Possible and probable
- (the) chances are idiom
- always
- anything's possible idiom
- arguably
- as never before idiom
- avenue
- course
- lean
- lean towards sth
- liable
- likelihood
- likely
- sporting chance
- stand
- strange
- stranger things have happened idiom
- strong
- ten
- ten to one idiom
- vista
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