an unlikely occurrence

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "an unlikely occurrence" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe an event or situation that is not expected to happen or is rare. Example: "Winning the lottery is considered an unlikely occurrence for most people."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

But Mr. Yoshihara of Nikko Salomon said I.B.M.'s restructuring 10 years ago was far more drastic and that in any case it was able to turn around because it recruited a new president from outside -- an unlikely occurrence for a Japanese company like Fujitsu.

The New York Times

Second, a careful reading of tech politics suggests the takeover of Twitter is an unlikely occurrence given the weakness of second tier players like Yahoo and Sun and the strengths of Microsoft and Google.

TechCrunch

Going from such a relatively big number to a small number is an unlikely occurrence, rather like a skydiver landing on the head of a pin each time they jump out of a plane.

BBC

It is absurd to use such an unlikely occurrence as a baseline scenario.

Huffington Post

This is an unlikely occurrence and will only occur after discussion with the child and their parents.

BMJ Open

This suggests either a substantial and short-lived spike of mortality among young HIV-infected women of reproductive age (an unlikely occurrence), or more probably, a change in surveillance procedures.

AIDS and Behavior

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Investigators described the outbreak as a "very unlikely occurrence and an isolated event" and said that in other regards the firm practised good biosecurity measures.

The Guardian

Olive is, in short, anything but a blithe spirit, which makes the arrival of a supernatural presence in her living room mirror an unusually unlikely occurrence.

The New York Times

To Elísson, this was an exceedingly unlikely occurrence.

Forbes

They found that "textbook filters" which were unnecessarily steep were protecting the CD player output from high levels of 20 kHz signals, an exceedingly unlikely occurrence in music.

Wikipedia

And if they put the house up for sale, Mr. Cusack would probably feel compelled to finish stripping the pocket doors — a very unlikely occurrence.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "an unlikely occurrence" when you want to emphasize the low probability of something happening, but avoid overusing it in informal contexts where simpler terms like "rare" or "improbable" might be more appropriate.

Common error

While grammatically correct, "an unlikely occurrence" can sound overly formal in casual conversations. Opt for simpler phrasing to maintain a natural tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an unlikely occurrence" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject complement or object of a sentence. As Ludwig suggests, it describes something that is improbable or has a low chance of happening. Examples show it being used to describe events ranging from business restructuring to scientific phenomena.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Science

43%

Wiki

14%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "an unlikely occurrence" is a grammatically correct noun phrase used to describe improbable events, primarily found in news and scientific contexts. While considered correct, according to Ludwig AI, its formality makes it less suitable for casual conversations. It has a number of synonyms like ""a rare event"" or ""an improbable event"" that can be used depending on the nuance that you want to express. When aiming for precision and objectivity, especially in formal writing, this phrase serves as an effective way to temper expectations or highlight unexpected events.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a rare event

Focuses on the infrequency of the event.

an improbable event

Highlights the low probability of the event happening.

a remote possibility

Emphasizes the distance from being likely.

a slim chance

Indicates that the probability is very low.

a long shot

Suggests that success is dependent on luck or extraordinary circumstances.

an infrequent happening

Stresses the lack of regularity of the event.

a rare instance

Focuses on the scarcity of the specific case.

a one-off

Implies that the event is unique and not repeatable.

an exceptional circumstance

Highlights the unusual nature of the situation.

a freak incident

Indicates that the event is odd and unexpected.

FAQs

How can I use "an unlikely occurrence" in a sentence?

You can use "an unlikely occurrence" to describe events that are not expected to happen. For example: "Winning the lottery is "an unlikely occurrence" for most people."

What can I say instead of "an unlikely occurrence"?

You can use alternatives like "a rare event", "an improbable event", or "a slim chance" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "unlikely occurrence" or "rare occurrence"?

Both "unlikely occurrence" and "rare occurrence" are grammatically correct, but "unlikely occurrence" emphasizes probability, while "rare occurrence" stresses infrequency. The best choice depends on the context.

What's the difference between "an unlikely occurrence" and "an impossibility"?

"An unlikely occurrence" suggests a low probability, while "an impossibility" indicates that something cannot happen under any circumstances. Therefore, "an impossibility" is a much stronger statement.