earliest likely

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "earliest likely" is not standard in written English and may cause confusion.
It could be used in contexts where you want to indicate the earliest possible time something is expected to happen, but it would be clearer to rephrase it. Example: "The earliest likely date for the event is next Monday."

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

But it noted that the "earliest likely date for certification of a newly staffed poison center" is May 2004 because of the extensive staff training required.

The New York Times

The earliest likely candidate is the early Silurian fossil Jamoytius, which may have had a cartilage ring supporting a round mouth, like living lampreys.

University of California, Berkeley

Gary Hufbauer, a trade expert at the Institute for International Economics, thinks the earliest likely date for repeal is 2006.Congress's performance on tax breaks for "foreign sales corporations"—in essence, export subsidies also deemed illegal by the WTO hardly signifies respect for global trade rules.

The Economist

Second, we added a '<1.4' maximum bound on the root, which Lalueza-Fox et al. [ 43] reported as the earliest likely time for the origin of this radiation.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

We calibrated the trees against two points of reference: the current dates of dictionaries for each of the contemporary languages, and the Seljuk conquest of Baghdad (1055 CE), which is likely the latest date for divergence of Seljuk-derived languages (Turkish, Azeri, Gagauz) from other Oghuz languages (Turkmen), the earliest likely date being 985 CE [ 18, 19].

Current Biology

That is the earliest likely due date for your new litter.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

We would like to emphasize that the increased outputs described earlier likely occurred as a result of the collaboration between the TSU and KSAPS.

Global health, science and practice

Several more online classes will be offered on Class2Go in winter and spring; early likely candidates include nanotechnology and a class at the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics.

Stanford University

"Don't Ask Don't Tell" alternates between the weekend of Trail's death in 1997 and two years earlier, likely because it was convenient to juxtapose his story with that of Versace's Advocate interview.

Vice

Hiring earlier likely privileges students with pre-existing connections to professors and judges, as well as those from better law schools and those who have more impressive pre-law school extracurricular activities.

Huffington Post

This lack-of-fit caused the program to stop early, likely due to the abnormally fitted parameters causing various computation problems (e.g., overflow).

BMC Genomics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

For formal writing, consider using alternatives like "most probable date" or "earliest anticipated time" for enhanced clarity and precision.

Common error

Avoid using "earliest likely" when you need to set a firm deadline. The phrase implies uncertainty and can be misinterpreted as flexible. Instead, provide a specific date or timeframe to ensure clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "earliest likely" functions as an adjective phrase modifying a noun (often "date" or "time"). It specifies a point in time that represents the soonest expected occurrence of something. As Ludwig AI indicates, it is acceptable, but not the most elegant phrasing.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

30%

News & Media

30%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "earliest likely" serves to estimate the soonest expected time an event might occur. While grammatically acceptable, Ludwig AI suggests that it's not always the most refined choice. Consider clearer alternatives such as "most probable date" or "soonest expected date", depending on your intended meaning. This phrase appears across various contexts, including science, news, and academic writing, and is generally neutral in register. When using "earliest likely", ensure the context doesn't require a firm deadline, as it implies a degree of uncertainty.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

most probable date

Changes the focus to probability rather than possibility of the date.

soonest expected date

Focuses on the expectation of an event happening sooner rather than later.

earliest anticipated time

Highlights the anticipation of the timing rather than just a possibility.

most proximate date

Proximate emphasizes nearness in time, altering the nuance of the original phrase.

best-case scenario timeline

Implies optimism and the most favorable conditions for the event's timing.

optimistic estimated date

Focuses on the optimistic nature of the estimated time.

projected earliest date

Indicates a forecast or projection of the timing, making it more formal.

first possible opportunity

Shifts the focus from timing to opportunity for something to occur.

minimum expected timeframe

Emphasizes the minimum duration expected, altering the meaning slightly.

earliest feasible timeframe

Feasible highlights that the timeframe is realistic and achievable.

FAQs

How can I use "earliest likely" in a sentence?

You can use "earliest likely" to refer to the soonest expected time something will happen. For example, "The earliest likely completion date is next Monday."

What phrases are similar to "earliest likely"?

Alternatives include "most probable date", "soonest expected date", or "earliest anticipated time", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is "earliest likely" grammatically correct?

While not incorrect, "earliest likely" can sound awkward. Alternatives like "most probable date" or "soonest expected date" might offer better clarity.

When should I avoid using "earliest likely"?

Avoid using "earliest likely" when precision is crucial, such as setting deadlines. It's better suited for situations where you're providing an estimated timeframe rather than a fixed date.