does not look promising

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "does not look promising" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is typically used to express a lack of encouragement or hope about a situation. For example: "With the deadline approaching and the project still unfinished, the outlook does not look promising."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

29 human-written examples

This does not look promising.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The forecast does not look promising.

The New York Times - Sports

So far, the prospect does not look promising.

The Economist

Yet the company's case does not look promising.

The New York Times

A future projected along these lines does not look promising.

The New York Times

It has, for example, never identifed a single alternative therapy that does not look promising.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

31 human-written examples

But the situation doesn't look promising.

The New York Times

The future, under such circumstances, doesn't look promising.

The New York Times

The father-son relationship in DA (1988) doesn't look promising at first.

The New York Times

Yesterday's play was washed out entirely, and the forecast doesn't look promising for the rest of the week, either.

The New Yorker

November 17, 2013 6.59pm GMT I don't know much about weather maps...... but this doesn't look promising: J.A. Adande (@jadande) mountains of rain?

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "does not look promising", clarify why the situation appears unfavorable to give the reader context and prevent ambiguity. For example, "The weather forecast does not look promising, with rain predicted for the entire weekend."

Common error

Avoid using "does not look promising" when you mean there's absolutely no chance of success. This phrase implies a reduced likelihood, not an impossibility. For a situation with zero chance of success, consider stronger phrasing like "completely hopeless" or "certain to fail".

Linguistic Context

"Does not look promising" functions as a descriptive phrase indicating a negative assessment of a situation's potential outcome. It's used to express a lack of optimism or positive expectation, suggesting that things are unlikely to turn out well. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is correct and usable in English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Reference

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "does not look promising" is a common and grammatically correct expression used to convey a lack of optimism or a negative outlook. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a valid and usable phrase in English. Predominantly found in News & Media sources, it serves to temper expectations and provide a realistic assessment of situations where success seems doubtful. While various alternatives exist, such as "seems unlikely" or "isn't encouraging", the original phrase remains a versatile and widely understood way to express diminished hopes.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

doesn't seem hopeful

Uses "hopeful" instead of "promising", softening the negative implication slightly.

appears unpromising

Replaces "look" with "appears", focusing on the outward impression.

isn't shaping up well

Emphasizes the development of a situation towards a negative outcome.

isn't showing much promise

Highlights the absence of positive indicators.

the outlook is bleak

Uses a more intense adjective, "bleak", to convey a stronger sense of negativity.

the prospects are dim

Uses the word "prospects" and "dim" to indicate a reduced chance of success.

it's not encouraging

Focuses on the lack of encouragement derived from the situation.

things look grim

Employs a stronger term, "grim", to suggest a severe and unfavorable situation.

it bodes ill

Offers a more formal and somewhat archaic way of expressing a negative prediction.

the writing is on the wall

Suggests an inevitable negative outcome based on clear warning signs.

FAQs

How can I use "does not look promising" in a sentence?

Use "does not look promising" to express a lack of optimism about a future outcome. For example, "The initial test results "does not look promising" for the new treatment".

What are some alternatives to "does not look promising"?

You can use alternatives such as "seems unlikely", "appears unfavorable", or "isn't encouraging" depending on the context.

What does it mean when something "does not look promising"?

It means the situation or prospect is not showing positive signs or indicators, suggesting a less than desirable outcome is likely. It implies there's reason to doubt a successful or positive result.

Is "does not seem promising" the same as "does not look promising"?

Yes, they are very similar. "Does not seem promising" focuses more on subjective impression, while ""does not look promising"" emphasizes the objective appearance, but in practice, they're often interchangeable.