likely than before

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "likely than before" is not correct in English.
Did you mean "more likely than before"? You can use the corrected phrase when comparing the probability of an event occurring now versus a previous time. Example: "With the new evidence presented, it seems more likely than before that the theory is valid."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

29 human-written examples

Australians are more likely than before to see voting as an obligation.

The New York Times

He now looks more likely than before to ally with the Radicals.

The Economist

After last week's hostage crisis each group is even less likely than before to see the other as anything but a crazed, dangerous enemy.

The New York Times

I have to believe that possibility is less likely than before, precisely because he and the architects of Americans for Marriage Equality aren't ignoring it.

The New York Times

And, since prisoners are less likely than before to get time off for good behaviour, they have less incentive to behave well.The result: America's prison population has boomed, to roughly 2m.

The Economist

One early option, the C.I.A.'s headquarters in suburban Virginia, now seems less likely than before, administration officials said, and a new contender is Bolling Air Force Base near Washington, where they would not have to displace Mr. Goss from his suite.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

30 human-written examples

Healthcare workers during the "after" period were substantially more likely than the "before" period to have used full personal protective equipment (Table).

Emerging Infectious Diseases

Interestingly, the perception of rising prosperity by the population at large will likely be higher than before, with rising purchasing power, despite somewhat lower GDP growth rates.

Huffington Post

It might be the case that a feeling of "de qi" is just the thing to get rid of a different headache such as a migraine (although that prospect has to seem less likely than it did before).

The Guardian - Lifestyle

They are more likely than ever before to be a household's primary wage-earner.

The New Yorker

What's new is that European companies are more likely than ever before to engage in American-style hostile takeovers.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "more likely than before" or "less likely than before" to correctly express a change in probability.

Common error

Avoid using "likely than before"; it's grammatically incorrect. Always include "more" or "less" to make the comparison clear and correct. Use "more "likely than before"" or "less likely than before".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "likely than before" functions as an incomplete comparative construction. According to Ludwig AI, this phrase is grammatically incorrect because it omits the necessary comparative adjective intensifier (more or less) before 'likely'.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "likely than before" is flagged as grammatically incorrect by Ludwig AI. The correct usage involves including the comparative intensifier "more" or "less", resulting in phrases like "more likely than before" or "less likely than before". These corrected phrases effectively express an increase or decrease in probability compared to a previous state. It's important to avoid omitting "more" or "less" to ensure grammatical accuracy and clarity, particularly in formal and professional communication. Alternatives such as "more probable than before" or "increased likelihood compared to before" can also be used to convey similar meanings with proper grammar.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

more likely than previously

This alternative replaces 'before' with 'previously' and includes 'more' for grammatical correctness.

less likely than previously

This alternative replaces 'before' with 'previously' and includes 'less' for grammatical correctness.

more probable than before

This alternative substitutes 'likely' with 'probable' and includes 'more' for grammatical correctness.

less probable than before

This alternative substitutes 'likely' with 'probable' and includes 'less' for grammatical correctness.

increased likelihood compared to before

This alternative uses a noun phrase ('increased likelihood') instead of an adjective, improving grammatical accuracy.

decreased likelihood compared to before

This alternative uses a noun phrase ('decreased likelihood') instead of an adjective, improving grammatical accuracy.

more apt than before

This alternative substitutes 'likely' with 'apt' and includes 'more' for grammatical correctness.

less apt than before

This alternative substitutes 'likely' with 'apt' and includes 'less' for grammatical correctness.

a greater chance than before

This alternative uses a noun phrase ('a greater chance') for expressing likelihood.

a smaller chance than before

This alternative uses a noun phrase ('a smaller chance') for expressing likelihood.

FAQs

How can I correctly use the phrase "likely than before" in a sentence?

The phrase "likely than before" is grammatically incorrect. You should use "more likely than before" or "less likely than before" instead. For example, "It is "more likely than before" that it will rain today".

What's the difference between "likely than before" and "more likely than before"?

"Likely than before" is grammatically incorrect. "More "likely than before"" is the correct way to express that something has a higher probability compared to a previous time. The inclusion of "more" makes the comparison grammatically sound.

Is "probable than before" a correct alternative to "likely than before"?

No, "probable than before" is also grammatically incorrect. You should use "more probable than before" or "less probable than before" to express a change in probability. For example, "A recession is "more probable than before"".

What can I say instead of "likely than before" to indicate increased possibility?

You can use phrases like "more likely than previously", "increased likelihood compared to before", or "a greater chance than before" to express an increased possibility more accurately.