poor chance

USAGE SUMMARY

"poor chance" is correct and can be used in written English.
It can be used to refer to a situation in which something is unlikely to happen or succeed. For example, "Jill has a poor chance of being accepted to the college she applied to."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

40 human-written examples

Any Libyan with a black skin accused of fighting for the old regime may have a poor chance of survival.

Independent

The daughters of such families have a poor chance of getting a decent education.Special report Looking to Europe Which Turkey?

The Economist

Yu's view of a woman's poor chance at remarriage is widely shared, but there are more concrete issues, arising from economic disparity within marriages.

The New Yorker

Presumably such attempts to explain things away would have a poor chance of survival if everyone ran around with skin rashes scratching themselves and fashion shoots and business meetings were accompanied by incessant scratching.

The Guardian - Opinion

North-South had missed their five-three spade fit, in which a slam had no chance as it happened, and landed in a five-two club fit that had a poor chance.

The New York Times - Arts

They pointed to what they said would be his poor chance of beating Mr. Bush, given his lack of foreign policy experience; stands that could hurt him in Democratic primaries, like his opposition to gun control; and shifts in positions on major issues that his opponents said would undercut his effort to present himself as the straight-talking outsider.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

20 human-written examples

Realising his poor chances, Amiri has not bothered trying to escape.

The Guardian

But Mr. Draghi also seems to have poor chances of being selected for reasons that say a lot about how this high-level job search will be conducted.

The New York Times

Friends of Mr. Estrada, who was out of town today and did not respond to telephone messages, have said he had been dismayed for weeks about his poor chances of being confirmed.

The New York Times

If 4 of your friends are poor chances are you are going to be the fifth.

Huffington Post

Although Specter said that he primarily based his decision on principle, he also admitted it was partially due to his poor chances at winning the Republican primary: "I have traveled the state and surveyed the sentiments of the Republican Party in Pennsylvania and public opinion polls, observed other public opinion polls and have found that the prospects for winning a Republican primary are bleak".

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing situations where success is improbable, use "poor chance" to clearly convey a low expectation of a positive outcome.

Common error

Avoid exaggerating the unlikelihood by using overly dramatic terms like "zero chance" when "poor chance" more accurately reflects a small but non-existent possibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "poor chance" functions as a modifier describing the likelihood of an event occurring. It expresses a low probability or slim hope of something happening. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

31%

News & Media

57%

Wiki

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

1%

Encyclopedias

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "poor chance" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to indicate a low probability of success or a negative outcome. Ludwig AI validates its correct usage across diverse contexts, including News & Media and Science, with the majority of examples arising from these domains. While "poor chance" can be effectively used in formal and informal settings, avoid exaggeration with zero or negligible possibility and explore alternatives such as "slim chance" or "low probability" for specific shades of meaning. Follow the guidance of best practices and avoid common mistakes to improve your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

slim chance

Replaces "poor" with "slim", emphasizing the smallness of the possibility.

low probability

Substitutes "chance" with "probability", offering a more formal and statistical tone.

little likelihood

Replaces "chance" with "likelihood", softening the expression and lending a more cautious tone.

remote possibility

Uses "remote possibility" to highlight how unlikely the event is.

minimal prospect

Replaces both words, suggesting a reduced outlook or expectation.

meager hope

Shifts the focus to the diminished hope associated with the situation.

bleak outlook

Emphasizes the pessimism and unfavorable nature of the future scenario.

dismal prospects

Replaces "chance" with a plural noun, highlighting multiple unfavorable possibilities.

slight risk

Changes the focus to the potential negative consequences by using "risk".

unfavorable odds

Uses a gambling-related term to indicate low chances of success.

FAQs

How can I use "poor chance" in a sentence?

You can use "poor chance" to describe situations where the likelihood of success is low. For example, "There is a poor chance that the project will be completed on time."

What are some alternatives to saying "poor chance"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "slim chance", "low probability", or "little likelihood".

Is it better to say "poor chance" or "bad chance"?

"Poor chance" is generally preferred over "bad chance" in formal writing. "Poor chance" is a more standard and widely accepted expression.

What's the difference between "poor chance" and "slim chance"?

Both phrases indicate a low probability of success. "Slim chance" often suggests an even smaller likelihood than "poor chance", but the difference is subtle and context-dependent.