likely to be altered

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "likely to be altered" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing something that has a high probability of being changed or modified in the future. Example: "The final design of the product is likely to be altered based on customer feedback."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

49 human-written examples

"Whatever information is shared electronically is much more likely to be altered in some way," Professor Valley said.

The New York Times

Though Trump could reverse the Executive actions underlying President Obama's easing, we believe that Cuba policies are less likely to be altered than Iran or Russia policies.

Columbia University

We then model effects of predicted climate change (2050 scenarios) to determine how the response of risk to treatment is likely to be altered in the future.

Journal of Environmental Management

Although he was elected president, Donald Trump's proposals are likely to be altered, mainly so that the budgetary effects are much smaller, before being presented to Congress.

Economic Modelling

Nor is the orientation-association area likely to be altered in the religious experiences that are familiar to most of today's Judeo-Christian faithful — learning the Bible, listening to sermons, observing the Ten Commandments.

The New Yorker

Ministers are perfectly capable of scrutinising critically the prince's views; and their policies are hardly likely to be altered by junior officials seconded to a government department from the prince's office.

The Guardian - Opinion

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

11 human-written examples

Information-sharing regulations will likely need to be altered to protect companies as well as their investors and their customers.

Forbes

The outer surface of the enamel was abraded further, removing the outermost portion that was most likely to be diagenetically altered.

Plosone

Third, results of the NICOM™ and Vigileo™ are more likely to be transiently altered by artifacts resulting from nurses' interventions and/or from patient movements.

Critical Care

As noted above, mutants affecting fidelity in response to both near- and non-cognate codons are likely to be due to altered affinity at the initial binding step.

Plosone

With aging some discomfort is likely to be linked to altered epidermal barrier permeability and epidermal homeostasis.

Archives of Dermatological Research

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "likely to be altered" when you want to express a reasonable expectation of change based on current conditions or available information. For instance, "The project timeline is likely to be altered due to unforeseen circumstances."

Common error

While "likely to be altered" uses passive voice correctly, overuse can make writing seem weak. Consider active alternatives if appropriate, such as "factors may alter" or "circumstances could change" for a more direct tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "likely to be altered" functions as an adjective phrase in the passive voice. It modifies a noun, indicating that the noun is expected to undergo a change or modification. Ludwig AI confirms this by showing examples where it describes various subjects that are expected to change.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

62%

News & Media

28%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "likely to be altered" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase indicating a reasonable expectation of future change. Ludwig AI analysis identifies it as an adjective phrase in the passive voice, frequently used in scientific and news contexts. While the phrase is considered neutral in register, writers should be mindful of overusing the passive voice and consider active alternatives when appropriate. Ludwig AI examples showcase its versatility in describing various subjects expected to undergo modification.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

subject to change

Emphasizes the possibility of change as a condition or inherent characteristic.

liable to be modified

Highlights the susceptibility of something to being changed or adjusted.

prone to modification

Suggests a natural inclination or tendency towards being modified.

apt to be changed

Implies a high probability or likelihood of being changed.

open to revision

Indicates that something is available for review and potential alteration.

susceptible to adjustment

Focuses on the vulnerability of something to being adjusted or adapted.

potentially modifiable

Highlights the possibility of modifying something, without stating a likelihood.

may be revised

Indicates a possibility of revision, often in a formal or official context.

can be adjusted

Focuses on the capability of adjusting something, rather than the likelihood.

subject to revision

Similar to "subject to change", but specifically implies a formal review and potential modification.

FAQs

How can I use "likely to be altered" in a sentence?

Use "likely to be altered" to indicate a reasonable expectation that something will change. For example, "The initial plan is "likely to be altered" based on the pilot study results."

What's a formal alternative to "likely to be altered"?

In formal contexts, consider using phrases like "subject to modification" or "susceptible to adjustment" as alternatives to "likely to be altered".

Is "prone to be altered" the same as "likely to be altered"?

While similar, "prone to be altered" suggests a greater inherent tendency to change than "likely to be altered", implying a higher chance of modification due to specific vulnerabilities or weaknesses.

Which is correct: "likely to alter" or "likely to be altered"?

"Likely to alter" implies something will actively cause a change. "Likely to be altered" indicates something will passively undergo a change. The choice depends on whether the subject is the actor or the recipient of the change. For example, "New data is likely to alter our conclusions" vs. "Our conclusions are "likely to be altered" by new data."