increasingly less likely

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "increasingly less likely" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation or event that is becoming progressively less probable over time. Example: "As the deadline approaches, it seems that the chances of completing the project on time are increasingly less likely."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

35 human-written examples

But even Gore aides said a Teamsters endorsement of the vice president seemed increasingly less likely.

The New York Times

Immigrant parents are increasingly less likely to be college graduates, and so to provide literate homes in any language.

The New York Times

Within a week after the onset of chronic pain, the animals grew increasingly less likely to work hard for food than pain-free control animals were.

Stanford University

And, tired of hearing the same excuses day after day, magistrates are increasingly less likely to adjourn the case to allow the crown to paper over the cracks.

The Guardian - Opinion

We next show that over time, for their financially stressed public clients, regional audit firms are increasingly more likely to issue going concern reports, and BigN audit firms are increasingly less likely to issue going concern reports.

Accounting, Organizations and Society

As the prospect of leaving Greece becomes increasingly less likely for those still here, the next steps for refugees in Skaramagas are murky but so is the question of how these businesses can help beyond the camp, if at all.

Princeton University

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

25 human-written examples

The global work space that HBCU graduates will increasingly inhabit is less likely to be defined by race.

Huffington Post

Record labels are increasingly protective and less likely to sign over the songs' rights without high fees.

Los Angeles Times

Such honesty would make social liberals more magnanimous in what looks increasingly like victory, and less likely to hound and harass religious institutions that still want to elevate and defend the older marital ideal.

The New York Times

We think this increasingly looks less and less likely, but the Republican Party has reached such a point.

Harvard University

That frees users from the filter bubble – the fear that, as search results are increasingly personalised, they are less likely to be presented with information that challenges their existing ideas.

The Guardian - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid overuse by seeking synonymous alternatives. Using "progressively improbable" or "decreasingly probable" can add variety and prevent your writing from sounding monotonous.

Common error

A common mistake is to use "increasingly less likely" when the situation doesn't involve a gradual change. If the probability is static, consider using simpler terms like "unlikely" or "improbable" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "increasingly less likely" functions as an adverbial modifier that describes the decreasing probability of a particular event or situation over time. It indicates a gradual reduction in the likelihood of something occurring. According to Ludwig AI, this usage is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

37%

Science

35%

Academia

18%

Less common in

Formal & Business

7%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "increasingly less likely" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to describe a gradually diminishing probability. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. Predominantly found in News & Media, Science, and Academic contexts, the phrase effectively conveys a decreasing expectation or a growing sense of improbability. When using this phrase, ensure a context of change over time, and consider varying your language with alternatives such as "progressively improbable" or "decreasingly probable". Avoid using it when the probability is static. Overall, the phrase is a valuable tool for expressing nuanced probabilities in various forms of writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

progressively improbable

Replaces "likely" with "improbable" and "increasingly less" with "progressively" for a slightly more formal tone.

decreasingly probable

Substitutes "likely" with "probable" and uses "decreasingly" to emphasize the diminishing nature of the likelihood.

ever less probable

Uses "ever less" to indicate a continuous decline in probability.

becoming more and more unlikely

Rephrases the concept using "unlikely" and emphasizes the gradual change with "more and more".

with diminishing probability

Expresses the concept as a process with a reducing chance.

showing a declining chance

Focuses on the observation of a reduced opportunity or possibility.

gradually fading possibility

Emphasizes the loss of possibility over time.

a receding prospect

Uses "receding" to indicate a moving away or diminishing prospect.

a dwindling hope

Highlights the reduction in hopefulness.

it appears improbable

Changes the structure to an observation about the probability of something.

FAQs

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

Use "increasingly less likely" to describe a situation where something is gradually becoming less probable over time. For example, "As the deadline approached, success seemed increasingly less likely".

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

You can use alternatives such as "progressively improbable", "decreasingly probable", or "more and more unlikely" depending on the desired tone and context.

Is it redundant to say "increasingly less likely"?

While "increasingly" and "less likely" might seem contradictory at first glance, the phrase is grammatically correct and emphasizes a gradual decrease in probability. Ludwig AI also confirms its correctness.

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

Both phrases convey a similar meaning, but "increasingly less likely" suggests a more consistent or measurable decline, while "less and less likely" can imply a more noticeable or abrupt decrease in probability.