I thought likely

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "I thought likely" is not correct in standard written English.
It is an incomplete expression and does not convey a clear meaning without additional context. Example: "I thought likely that he would arrive on time, but I was mistaken."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

"I thought likely that was it.

The New Yorker

The first two teams in the draft order I thought likely to take Ben a little later were Buffalo and Pittsburgh.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

"I think, likely so," the general said.

The New York Times

Possible but not, I think, likely.

The New York Times

It's possible (and I think likely) that the permabears will be right for the longer term.

Forbes

While the strategy is interesting and I think likely to succeed there may be some bumps in the road.

Forbes

This kind of distributed computing model with inter-process network communication is more complicated but I think likely required for a certain tier of application.

Forbes

But in my mind, I don't think likely.

Huffington Post

If I think it likely that ~A, I think it likely that a sufficient condition for the truth of "A ⊃ B" obtains.

SEP

"I think most likely September," he said.

Independent

I think more likely, the Americans just want votes".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

For clarity, rephrase "I thought likely" as "I thought it likely that..." or use a synonym like "probable" or "possible" for greater precision. For example: "I thought it likely that he would arrive late."

Common error

Avoid using "I thought likely" without a 'that' clause. It often leaves the sentence incomplete and unclear. Instead of "I thought likely", specify what you considered likely: "I thought it likely that the event would be canceled".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I thought likely" functions as an expression of belief or expectation regarding the probability of an event or situation. However, as noted by Ludwig AI, it's considered an incomplete or awkward construction. More often, it introduces a clause expressing a subjective assessment of likelihood.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Science

34%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "I thought likely" expresses a belief or expectation about the probability of an event. However, Ludwig AI highlights that it's not considered standard English and can sound awkward or incomplete. Grammatically, "I thought it likely that..." is a more correct and clearer alternative. Though it appears in various contexts, including news and media, it's advisable to use more precise and formal alternatives in academic or professional writing for improved clarity and impact, as "I believed it was probable".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I assumed it was probable

Replaces "thought" with "assumed" to suggest a less considered belief, and "likely" with "probable" for increased formality.

I believed it was probable

Substitutes "thought" with "believed", indicating a stronger conviction, and "likely" with "probable" for a slightly more formal tone.

I considered it probable

Replaces "thought" with "considered", suggesting a more deliberate assessment of probability.

I deemed it likely

Uses "deemed" instead of "thought" for a more formal and decisive tone.

I anticipated it was likely

Replaces "thought" with "anticipated", focusing on expectation rather than belief.

I presumed it was likely

Substitutes "thought" with "presumed", suggesting an assumption without concrete evidence.

I figured it was likely

Replaces "thought" with "figured", making it a more colloquial expression.

I guessed it was likely

Uses "guessed" instead of "thought" to convey less certainty.

I suspected it was likely

Replaces "thought" with "suspected", implying a feeling based on intuition or limited evidence.

I imagined it was likely

Substitutes "thought" with "imagined", suggesting a belief based on speculation.

FAQs

How can I correctly use the idea of "I thought likely" in a sentence?

To use this idea correctly, it's best to rephrase as "I thought it likely that..." followed by the specific event or outcome you believed was probable. For example, "I thought it likely that the meeting would be postponed" is more grammatically sound.

Is "I thought likely" grammatically correct?

While you might find it in some contexts, the phrase "I thought likely" is generally considered grammatically awkward. It's more common and clearer to say "I thought it likely" or use alternatives like "I believed it was probable".

What's the difference between "I thought likely" and "I thought it likely"?

"I thought likely" is less formal and can sound incomplete. "I thought it likely" is more grammatically standard and clearly indicates that you considered something as probable. It is always preferable to use "I thought it likely" to be more explicit.

Are there more formal alternatives to "I thought likely"?

Yes, more formal alternatives include "I considered it probable", "I deemed it likely", or "I regarded it as probable". These options add a level of sophistication and precision to your writing.