likely than that

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "likely than that" is not correct in English.
It seems to be a misconstruction of a comparative phrase. Example: "It is more likely than that we will finish the project on time."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

18 human-written examples

Triumph owners were a little more likely than that.

Los Angeles Times

I would bet that a subtle error in the measured distance or time is more likely than that their ratio – the inferred speed – exceeds Einstein's speed limit.

The Guardian

The difference was that Romania were far more likely than that wretched German side to find the skill and wit to break England down.

The Guardian - Sport

Different Motivations But while younger people were taking a more active role in the violence, their motivation was less likely than that of the adults to be religion-driven.

The New York Times

This is more likely than that," he says.

BBC

More likely than that is that the implementation just may not be done yet.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

39 human-written examples

So at least ten thousand children, and likely more than that.

The New Yorker

It seems likely that hospitalised cases are more likely than those that do not warrant admission to have had confirmatory tests done to establish the diagnosis with certainty.

BMC Infectious Diseases

The committee said evidence showed that "it was more likely than not that the footage was not genuine".

The Guardian

Mr Cameron said on 5 November that it was "more likely than not" that a bomb had downed the plane.

Independent

We also agree with the Commissioner that it is more likely than not that he failed to declare his interest at the inaugural meeting of the APPG.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When expressing comparative likelihood, ensure the phrase is grammatically correct. Use "more likely than" or "less likely than" followed by a clear comparison.

Common error

Avoid using the phrase "likely than that". The correct form is "more likely than that" or "less likely than that". Always include "more" or "less" to make a proper comparison.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "likely than that" functions as a comparative, attempting to establish a relative probability between two scenarios. However, it's grammatically flawed, as it omits the necessary comparative adjective "more" or "less". Ludwig AI confirms the grammatical error.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

41%

Science

47%

Formal & Business

6%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "likely than that" appears in various sources, it is grammatically incorrect. The accurate forms are "more likely than that" or "less likely than that". Ludwig AI identifies the phrase as flawed. Although the intended meaning is often clear from context, using the correct grammatical structure is crucial for clear and professional communication. It is frequently used in news, media, and scientific contexts but should be avoided in formal writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

more probable than that

Replaces "likely" with its synonym "probable", maintaining the same comparative structure.

more likely than not

Adds "not" to indicate a higher degree of probability.

more apt than that

Substitutes "likely" with "apt", conveying a sense of suitability or tendency.

more inclined than that

Uses "inclined" to suggest a predisposition or leaning towards something.

more disposed than that

Employs "disposed" to indicate a tendency or willingness.

more prone than that

Replaces "likely" with "prone", highlighting a susceptibility or vulnerability.

more liable than that

Uses "liable" to express a risk or potential for something to happen.

more apt to happen than that

Adds "to happen" for clarity, emphasizing the event or outcome.

a greater chance than that

Shifts from an adjective to a noun phrase, focusing on the probability as a "chance".

a higher probability than that

Replaces "likely" with the more formal "probability", emphasizing the statistical aspect.

FAQs

How should I correctly use "likely than that" in a sentence?

The phrase "likely than that" is grammatically incorrect. The correct way to express a comparison of likelihood is to say "more "more likely than"" or "less "less likely than"".

What are some alternatives to "likely than that" that I can use?

Instead of "likely than that", you can use phrases such as "more "more probable than that"", "more "more apt than that"", or "more "more inclined than that"", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is there a subtle difference between "more likely than that" and "more probable than that"?

While both phrases convey a comparison of likelihood, "more "more likely than that"" is generally more common in everyday language. "More "more probable than that"" might be preferred in more formal or technical contexts.

What does "more likely than not" mean, and how does it relate to "likely than that"?

"More "more likely than not"" is a common idiom indicating that something has a greater than 50% chance of occurring. "Likely than that" is not a correct or recognized phrase, so "more "more likely than not"" is not related, but the idiom should be used for emphasis.