incredibly unlikely that

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "incredibly unlikely that" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to express a strong belief that a certain event or situation is very improbable. Example: "Given the current circumstances, it is incredibly unlikely that we will meet our deadline."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

23 human-written examples

Kawakami said of Jacobs, "He's eligible to play in the postseason, but it seems incredibly unlikely that he will ever suit up for the 49ers again".

The New York Times

Based on the evidence that has surfaced so far, he said it seemed "incredibly unlikely" that the Kursk had suffered a collision, especially with a foreign submarine.

The New York Times

If March 1979 didn't presage the death of Wales and Welsh difference, then it's incredibly unlikely that 23 June 2016 marks the end of that particular story.

The Guardian - Opinion

Community Energy is very difficult to organise and you still have the capacity issues so its incredibly unlikely that this will work.

The Guardian

That strategically dumb and wholly ideological disposition, of course, makes it incredibly unlikely that either the Kurds or the Christians are going to be enthusiastic members of the coalition against Assad.

University of Pennsylvania

Further, it is incredibly unlikely that any wild eagle would even attempt to grab such outsized prey as a toddler in a public area that it is unfamiliar with, unless … this entire event was staged.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

37 human-written examples

Cadiz and a hydrologist at the consulting firm Aquilogic in Costa Mesa, Calif., say this outcome is incredibly unlikely and that the project will be very carefully monitored.

The New York Times

In the incredibly unlikely event that you've missed the contretemps between Ruth Padel and Derek Walcott, here are its results so far: neither poet is going to be Oxford's chair of poetry, a post which only the New York Times has so far been vulgar enough to point out is "a matter of prestige, not money … [drawing] a salary of barely $11,000 a year".

The Guardian - Opinion

I scoffed at him and told him how incredibly unlikely it was that a healthy woman like my wife would ever be disabled.

The New York Times

"While there's always the possibility that it's a crazy coincidence, that seems incredibly unlikely".

Huffington Post

Unfortunately, worry can morph from that healthy, practical form of concern and vigilance to a preoccupation with perceived threats that are incredibly unlikely (e.g., nuclear war) or not particularly threatening (e.g., genetically modified foods).

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To add emphasis, consider pairing "incredibly unlikely that" with supporting evidence or data that highlights the improbability of the situation.

Common error

Avoid using "incredibly unlikely that" when the situation is merely uncertain, not nearly impossible. Overstating the improbability can undermine your credibility if the event does occur.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "incredibly unlikely that" functions as an adjectival phrase used to qualify the probability of a subsequent event or statement. It expresses a strong belief that something is improbable. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatical soundness allows it to be used in several contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

54%

Academia

17%

Wiki

13%

Less common in

Science

16%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "incredibly unlikely that" is a commonly used and grammatically sound phrase for expressing a strong belief in the improbability of a situation or event. According to Ludwig, this phrase appears frequently in news and media, academic writing, and wiki articles. It's versatile and can be used in various contexts, though it's important to ensure the context supports the strong assertion of unlikelihood. While it is a neutral phrase that is unlikely to be misused, remember not to use it as a superlative of impossible, as that has a slightly different meaning. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this phrase is useful to be used in many contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

highly improbable that

Replaces "unlikely" with "improbable", indicating a low chance of occurrence.

extremely doubtful that

Uses "doubtful" to express uncertainty about a possible outcome.

very improbable that

Emphasizes improbability, similar to "incredibly unlikely".

virtually impossible that

Suggests an event is almost not able to happen.

scarcely conceivable that

Indicates something is hard to imagine or believe.

hardly possible that

Downplays the possibility of an event happening.

against all odds that

Highlights the difficulty and low probability of an event occurring.

not a chance that

Informal phrase stating something will not happen.

slim chance that

Highlights the small chance of an event occurring.

negligible possibility that

Emphasizes that the probability is so small it is not worth considering.

FAQs

How can I use "incredibly unlikely that" in a sentence?

Use "incredibly unlikely that" to express a strong belief that a particular event or situation is improbable. For example: "Given the current budget constraints, it's incredibly unlikely that we'll be able to fund the new project this year."

What are some alternatives to "incredibly unlikely that"?

You can use alternatives like "highly improbable that", "extremely doubtful that", or "virtually impossible that" depending on the context.

Is there a difference between "unlikely" and "incredibly unlikely"?

"Unlikely" suggests a low probability, while "incredibly unlikely" emphasizes a much lower probability. The use of "incredibly" intensifies the degree of improbability.

When is it appropriate to use "incredibly unlikely that" vs. "impossible"?

"Incredibly unlikely that" is suitable when an event has a very low chance of occurring but is still theoretically possible. "Impossible", on the other hand, indicates that an event cannot occur under any circumstances. Thus, using the former could imply that something is difficult or improbable, while the latter suggests that something is out of the realm of possibility.