It is looking likely

USAGE SUMMARY

The part of a sentence "It is looking likely" is correct and usable in written English.
It is often used to express that something is probable or expected to happen. Example: "Based on the current weather forecast, it is looking likely that we will have rain this weekend."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

"It is looking likely that it is a waste of time," he said as he arrived at the Eurogroup leaders' summit that followed the finance ministers' meeting.

Independent

But it is looking likely that the two types of device need different operating systems.

The Economist

Donor money is evaporating in the recession, and it is looking likely that only about a third of the 33 million infected people in the world will have any hope of treatment.

The New York Times - Health

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

It's looking likely.

The Guardian

"It's looking likely that Flintoff is going to prove as inspirational as Beefy, let's just hope that he's not as inconsistent," writes Dan MacDonald.

The Guardian - Sport

Soon, the Labour leadership result will be announced, and it's looking likely that, contrary to what I'd hoped, Jeremy Corbyn will win again.

The Guardian - Opinion

There were mixed reports from the Suvarnabhumi international airport in the Thai capital but it was looking likely that passenger flights from the terminal would resume tomorrow, allowing an estimated 300,000 tourists, including thousands of Britons, to return home.

Independent

At the time of writing they have less than £5,000 of their funding goal left to be pledged so it's looking likely the Kickstarter will succeed.

TechCrunch

Meanwhile, it was looking likely that the Astor's lease would soon expire without satisfactory resolution.

Vice

"It's looking likely that this is a waste of time," Malta's Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said.

Vice

It's looking likely that the support will be there for a fixed link, but we'll have to see next year.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "it is looking likely" when you want to express a reasonable expectation based on current evidence or trends. It's suitable for both formal and informal contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "it is looking likely" when the outcome is highly uncertain or purely speculative. Instead, use phrases like "it might be possible" or "it is conceivable" to indicate a lower degree of probability.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it is looking likely" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to express a degree of probability. As shown by Ludwig, this phrase is commonly used to indicate that a particular outcome is probable based on current observations or trends.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it is looking likely" serves to express the probability of a future event based on current evidence. According to Ludwig, its grammatical status is correct, and it finds common usage across various sources, including news, media, and business. Although the phrase is grammatically correct and versatile, it is important to avoid overstating certainty when using it. More nuanced phrasing may be necessary if the actual probability of the event is low or completely speculative. Overall, the phrase is a reliable tool for expressing expectations and reasonable assumptions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it seems likely

Substitutes "seems likely" for "looking likely", emphasizing the feeling of likelihood.

it's probable

Shortens the phrase to "it's probable", making it more concise.

it appears probable

Uses "appears probable" instead of "looking likely", focusing on appearance of probability.

it is expected

Emphasizes the expectation of an event with "it is expected".

it's anticipated

Replaces "looking likely" with "anticipated", focusing on expectation.

chances are high

Employs "chances are high" to indicate a strong possibility.

the odds are that

Uses a more idiomatic expression "the odds are that" to suggest probability.

it is foreseeable

Substitutes "looking likely" with "foreseeable", implying predictability.

it's on the cards

Uses the idiom "it's on the cards" to suggest that something is likely to happen.

it is shaping up to be

Suggests an event is evolving to a certain outcome using "it is shaping up to be".

FAQs

What does "it is looking likely" mean?

The phrase "it is looking likely" suggests that something is probable or expected to happen based on current conditions or evidence.

What can I say instead of "it is looking likely"?

You can use alternatives like "it seems likely", "it appears probable", or "it is expected" depending on the context.

Is it okay to use "it's looking likely" in formal writing?

Yes, "it's looking likely" is generally acceptable in formal writing, though "it is looking likely" might be preferred for a more polished tone. Context is key.

How can I use "it is looking likely" in a sentence?

You can use it to preface an event or outcome that you believe is probable, for example, "It is looking likely that the meeting will be postponed".