fairly likely

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "fairly likely" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it as an adverb to indicate that something is more probable than not, but not completely certain. For example, "It's fairly likely that the weather will be nice tomorrow."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It seems fairly likely that the motion will go through.

The Guardian

Right now, Millennials are fairly likely to be disengaged with the political process.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

That split, coupled with the significance of the yesterday's decision, makes Supreme Court review fairly likely.

The New York Times

In spite of the oil revenue bonanza, that seems fairly likely.

The Washington Post

But the case arose from unusual circumstances, making it fairly likely that the eventual Supreme Court ruling will be narrow.

The New York Times

Look, at any period of an actor's life it's fairly likely that they'll be cast in ways that are reminiscent.

The Guardian - Film

Jazz fans these days are fairly likely to be prissy liberals with an aversion to death sticks.

The Economist

Executives close to the company said that most of top management still wanted to retain all of Chrysler and that this outcome remained fairly likely.

The New York Times

Al Gore's influential film about climate science was not called A Scientifically-Modelled Truth, or The Statistically Fairly Likely Truth, even though these would have been accurate titles.

The Guardian - Opinion

The Democrats will have a pretty good idea about which candidate their party prefers for the presidency and it seems fairly likely that person will be Hillary Clinton.

The Guardian - Opinion

He suggested that he would not work with Brown if Brown came third in terms of the vote – a fairly likely outcome.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "fairly likely" to convey a moderate degree of probability, stronger than "possible" but weaker than "very likely". It is appropriate when you have some evidence or reason to believe something will occur, but not enough for a strong assertion.

Common error

Avoid using "fairly likely" when the situation warrants a stronger or weaker expression of probability. If the evidence is overwhelming, opt for "very likely" or "almost certain". If the chances are slim, consider "possibly" or "unlikely".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "fairly likely" functions as an adverbial modifier, specifically an adverb of probability. It modifies a verb or clause to express a moderate degree of certainty or expectation. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a standard and accepted way to express probability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

49%

Science

20%

Academia

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

12%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "fairly likely" is a commonly used and grammatically sound phrase to express a moderate degree of probability. As noted by Ludwig AI, the phrase is correct and useful in conveying an informed assessment without absolute certainty. Its neutral register makes it suitable for diverse contexts, ranging from news reports to academic discussions. While alternatives like "quite probable" or "reasonably expected" exist, "fairly likely" offers a balanced and widely understood way to communicate that something is more probable than not. As evidenced by the number of real-world examples in Ludwig, this expression is used in a great variety of contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

not unlikely

Expresses likelihood by negating unlikelihood.

quite probable

Indicates a slightly higher degree of likelihood.

plausibly

Indicates something is believable and therefore likely.

reasonably expected

Focuses on expectation based on reason or evidence.

likely enough

Focuses on the level of likelihood being adequate or sufficient.

somewhat predictable

Emphasizes the element of predictability.

potentially possible

Highlights the possibility, though not certainty.

more than possible

Suggests that the event is not just possible, but more probable.

conceivably could

Suggests a possibility that can be imagined or conceived.

within the realm of possibility

Frames it as being a realistic possibility.

FAQs

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

You can use "fairly likely" to indicate that something is more probable than not, but not completely certain. For example, "It's fairly likely that the meeting will be postponed".

What are some alternatives to saying "fairly likely"?

You can use alternatives like "quite probable", "reasonably expected", or "not unlikely" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "fairly likely" or "very likely"?

Use "fairly likely" when the probability is moderate, and "very likely" when the probability is high. The choice depends on the degree of certainty you want to convey.

What's the difference between "fairly likely" and "possibly"?

"Fairly likely" suggests a higher probability than "possibly". "Possibly" indicates that something could happen, while "fairly likely" indicates that it probably will happen.