probably will not

USAGE SUMMARY

"probably will not" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when you are indicating that something is unlikely to happen. For example: "I probably will not be able to attend the meeting tomorrow."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But Fowler probably will not.

The New York Times

But it probably will not.

The New York Times

He probably will not.

The New York Times

Most probably will not.

The New York Times

I probably will not.

The New York Times - Tech

This probably will not surprise you.

The New York Times

Another defendant knows he probably will not.

The Economist

It probably will not last long.

The New York Times - Sports

Unfortunately, though, they probably will not be.

The Economist

But it probably will not be much.

The New York Times - Sports

Labor probably will not recover.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "probably will not" to express a reasonable degree of doubt or uncertainty about a future event. It suggests a higher likelihood of something not happening than phrases like "possibly will not", but less certainty than "definitely will not."

Common error

Avoid using "probably will not" when you have concrete evidence that something definitely will not happen. In such cases, opt for stronger language like "certainly will not" or "definitely won't" to reflect the level of certainty.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "probably will not" functions as a modal phrase expressing a prediction or assessment of likelihood. It combines the adverb "probably" with the modal auxiliary "will" and the negation "not" to indicate that something is unlikely to occur. Ludwig AI confirms its frequent use in diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Reference

3%

Academia

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "probably will not" is a very common and grammatically correct phrase used to express a reasonable degree of doubt about a future event. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it finds frequent application across various contexts, particularly in news and media, and carries a neutral tone suitable for both formal and informal communication. When using this phrase, ensure that the level of uncertainty aligns with the context and avoid overstating the improbability. Alternatives such as "unlikely to happen" or "almost certainly won't" can be considered for nuanced expression. As per Ludwig's examples, remember that the precise meaning depends on context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unlikely to happen

Replaces the modal verb construction with an adjective phrase to convey a similar degree of improbability.

almost certainly won't

Uses "almost certainly" to emphasize the improbability, and the contraction "won't" for a slightly less formal feel.

not likely to occur

Substitutes "probably" with "likely" and "will not" with "to occur", maintaining a formal tone.

it's improbable that

Replaces "probably" with "improbable", keeping a similar level of formality.

it is doubtful that

Introduces a more formal construction expressing doubt about a future event.

hardly likely to

Uses "hardly likely" to express a reduced chance of something happening.

chances are slim that

Emphasizes the low probability of an event using an idiomatic expression.

there's little chance of

Emphasizes the small possibility of something occurring.

not expected to

Focuses on the lack of expectation for an event to happen, rather than its probability.

it's questionable whether

Introduces uncertainty and doubt about a future event.

FAQs

How can I use "probably will not" in a sentence?

Use "probably will not" to express that something is unlikely to occur. For example, "The meeting "probably will not" start on time due to the speaker's late arrival".

What's a less formal way to say "probably will not"?

Informally, you could say "likely won't" or "probably won't". For example, "I "probably will not" be there" could become "I likely won't be there".

Is there a more formal alternative to "probably will not"?

More formal alternatives include phrases like "it is improbable that" or "it is unlikely that". For instance, instead of "The company "probably will not" announce profits", you could state "It is improbable that the company will announce profits".

What is the difference between "probably will not" and "definitely will not"?

"Probably will not" suggests a strong likelihood that something won't happen, but leaves room for a small chance it might. "Definitely will not" indicates absolute certainty that something won't occur. In other words, you can use "probably will not" in cases where you are not sure or there's still a small chance. Use "definitely will not" when you are completely certain of the outcome.