as equally likely

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "as equally likely" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct expression would be "equally likely" without the "as." Example: "The two outcomes are equally likely to occur in this experiment."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

24 human-written examples

Usually, when molecules rotate, they are as equally likely to spin one way as the other.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Before the nuclear division, each protein can thus be thought of as equally likely to be on the DNA copy that goes to one daughter as it is to be on the DNA copy that goes to the other daughter.

Bioinformatics

Likewise, capuchins may interpret all hiccups, regardless of context, as equally likely to indicate the presence of a predator, but decide to ignore hiccups during competitive feeding in order to avoid the risk of losing access to a contested resource.

American Journal of Primatology

Both men are seen as equally likely to improve education.

The New York Times

There, Mr. Bush and Mr. McCain were seen as equally likely to say what they believed rather than what people wanted to hear; here, Mr. McCain had an advantage on that score.

The New York Times

Wakefield, their local rivals Castleford and the Lancastrian strugglers Salford are generally thought to be the three most vulnerable Super League clubs, although until this week's RFL update it was possible to see Harlequins and the Crusaders as equally likely contenders for the chop.

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

36 human-written examples

Low inflation means workers are at last seeing strong real pay growth, although that reflects cheap oil more than a long-awaited return to productivity growth.Yet the minutes of the last Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting, also released today, revealed one member's belief that a rate cut is equally as likely as a rate rise.

The Economist

This idea has the support of previous research which has found that once men recognized they had an emotional problem, they were equally as likely as women to use mental health services".

Huffington Post

On the other hand, when neutral mutations are roughly equally as likely as favored ones (i.e., Nes less than 1), repeatability decreases much more, by around fourfold for equal probabilities (to 1.9% and 1.4%).

Plosone

This finding concord with previous research suggesting that once men recognize their emotional problems, they are equally as likely as women to use mental health services [ 57].

BMC Psychiatry

Using Akaike weights, the first-ranked model (ω i = 0.17) was almost equally as likely as the second-ranked model (ω i = 0.14).

CBE Life Sciences Education

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for clarity and grammatical correctness, use "equally likely" instead of "as equally likely". This avoids redundancy and aligns with standard English usage.

Common error

Avoid using "as equally likely" because the "as" is redundant when "equally" is already present. Stick to "equally likely" for concise and correct writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "as equally likely" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb or clause, attempting to express that different possibilities have the same probability. However, Ludwig AI identifies the phrase as grammatically incorrect due to redundancy.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

35%

News & Media

40%

Encyclopedias

8%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "as equally likely" is often used to express that different possibilities share the same probability, but Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect. The presence of "as" is redundant, as "equally" already implies a comparison. Therefore, the correct and preferred form is "equally likely". While examples exist across various sources, including news and scientific articles, sticking to "equally likely" enhances clarity and grammatical accuracy. Alternatives like "just as likely" or "equally probable" can also be used depending on the desired level of formality. By avoiding "as equally likely", writers can ensure conciseness and correctness in their expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

equally likely

Omits the unnecessary "as", resulting in a grammatically correct and more concise expression.

just as likely

Replaces "equally" with "just", offering a slightly more informal tone while maintaining grammatical correctness.

equally probable

Substitutes "likely" with "probable", providing a more formal alternative with the same core meaning.

with equal likelihood

Uses the noun form "likelihood", presenting a slightly more formal and nuanced variation.

of equal probability

Emphasizes the probabilistic aspect, shifting the focus to the equality of probabilities.

as probable

Retains only the adjective "probable" and changes the structure with the "as" conjunction.

comparably likely

Replaces "equally" with "comparably", indicating a similar level of likelihood.

similarly likely

Replaces "equally" with "similarly", indicating a similar level of likelihood.

indistinguishable in probability

Offers a more technical and precise way to convey that the probabilities are so close as to be indistinguishable.

near certain

Indicates a very high probability, nearing certainty.

FAQs

Why is "as equally likely" considered grammatically incorrect?

The phrase "as equally likely" is considered grammatically incorrect due to redundancy. The word "equally" already implies a comparison, making the "as" unnecessary. The correct form is "equally likely".

What are some alternatives to "as equally likely" that maintain a similar meaning?

Several alternatives to "as equally likely" offer similar meanings. These include "equally likely", "just as likely", and "equally probable".

In what contexts might I encounter the phrase "as equally likely"?

Although grammatically incorrect, you might encounter "as equally likely" in informal speech or writing. However, it's best to use the correct form, "equally likely", in formal contexts.

How does "equally likely" differ from "just as likely"?

"Equally likely" and "just as likely" are very similar in meaning, both indicating that two or more outcomes have the same probability. The choice between them often depends on stylistic preference, with "just as likely" sounding slightly more informal.