far less likely

USAGE SUMMARY

"far less likely" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to compare two things, implying that one thing is much less likely to occur or be true than the other. Example: Eating unhealthy foods is far less likely to lead to a healthy lifestyle than eating nutritious meals.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

And it made that possibility far less likely.

The New Yorker

Proponents say that makes meltdowns far less likely.

The New York Times

A far less likely situation involves losses by multiple teams.

The New York Times - Sports

"Fans are far less likely to do that now.

The New York Times

For instance, women are far less likely to negotiate.

Harvard Business Review

Without urgency, difficult change becomes far less likely.

Harvard Business Review

Pompeo is far less likely to do that.

The Washington Post

With cats, though, success is far less likely.

The New York Times

Cambodians are far less likely to accept Hun Sen's promises and say so in social media.

Yale University

But the Russian Orthodox Church regards Islam as far less likely to lure converts.

The New York Times

It means you're far less likely to be productive, especially if you start responding to them.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing probabilities, ensure the context clearly defines what is "far less likely" in relation to what. For instance, "achieving success without hard work is "far less likely" than succeeding with diligent effort."

Common error

Avoid using "far less likely" when the difference in probability is marginal. "Slightly less likely" is more appropriate for minor variations in probability.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "far less likely" functions as an adverbial modifier, specifically intensifying the adjective "likely". It is used to express a significantly lower probability of an event or situation compared to another. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

56%

Academia

19%

Formal & Business

9%

Less common in

Science

8%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "far less likely" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to convey a significantly reduced probability. According to Ludwig, it is perfectly acceptable in written English, serving to compare the likelihood of different scenarios. As evidenced by its prevalence across reputable sources like The New York Times and The Guardian, "far less likely" is appropriate for both formal and informal contexts. When using this phrase, ensure a clear comparison and consider alternatives like "much less probable" or "significantly less chance" to refine your message. Avoid its use when describing only slight differences in likelihood.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

much less probable

Replaces "likely" with its synonym "probable" and maintains the intensity of the original phrase.

significantly less chance

Shifts the focus to "chance" and uses "significantly" to emphasize the reduction in probability.

considerably reduced likelihood

Replaces "likely" with "likelihood" and uses "considerably" to denote a substantial decrease.

substantially lower probability

Emphasizes the "probability" aspect and uses "substantially" to indicate a significant reduction.

vastly diminished prospect

Uses "prospect" as a synonym for possibility and "vastly diminished" to highlight the significant decrease.

a reduced chance by a wide margin

This is a more descriptive phrase that specifies that the chance is reduced by a considerable amount.

hardly a possibility

Expresses a low probability by stating that something is "hardly a possibility".

not very plausible

Focuses on the plausibility of an event, indicating it's unlikely to happen.

improbable by a long shot

Emphasizes the improbability with the addition of "by a long shot".

unlikely to a great extent

This alternative uses a more formal tone to convey a high degree of improbability.

FAQs

How can I use "far less likely" in a sentence?

Use "far less likely" to compare two possibilities, indicating that one is significantly less probable than the other. For example, "Developing complications after vaccination is "far less likely" than developing complications from the disease itself."

What are some alternatives to saying "far less likely"?

You can use phrases such as "much less probable", "significantly less chance", or "considerably reduced likelihood" to convey a similar meaning.

Is it grammatically correct to say "far less likely"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct. "Far" modifies "less", intensifying the comparison of likelihood between two scenarios or events.

What's the difference between "less likely" and "far less likely"?

"Far less likely" emphasizes a greater difference in probability compared to "less likely". It implies a more significant reduction in the chance of something occurring.