small likelihood

USAGE SUMMARY

"small likelihood" is correct and usable in written English.
You could use it to describe a situation that has an unlikely chance of happening, for example: "There is a small likelihood that the project will be finished on time."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

47 human-written examples

Even in the small likelihood there is no spill, the drilling itself will disturb our animals.

The Guardian - Opinion

Yet, there was small likelihood of my performing this good deed.

The New York Times

Vulture funds buy the debt of poor countries on the open market - usually at very low prices because of the small likelihood of it ever being repaid.

The Guardian - Business

There is a very small likelihood that, for a cosplay, you'll not want your blade installed in your saber and your saber hanging off of your belt.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Couples with children, he discovered, immediately seized on a hidden attraction: small likelihood of the downstairs neighbors complaining about the patter of little feet upstairs.

The New York Times

And such a suit has only a small likelihood of success because the board will again hide behind its new chief executive and his plans.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

13 human-written examples

An alternative solution to this problem, (inspired by Wilson 2001; and Cattaneo 2008 20144), would modify the update rule in such a way that those extreme priors that give extremely small likelihoods to the evidence are excised from the representor.

SEP

I had a tendency to say that things with small likelihoods had "absolutely zero f@#$$#$ chance of ever working," while Brian tended to embrace the language of possibility: "that definitely could work ☺!!" Turns out we both thought the thing in question had about a 17percentt chance of working.

TechCrunch

At certain ancestral positions, this may result in imputed values with small likelihoods under M1 (M0), which in turn leads to larger differences between the log likelihoods of the two models.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

At Bristol University, researchers led by Matt Watson, a professor of geophysics, are trying to determine which particles would have the maximum desired impact with the smallest likelihood of unwanted side effects.

The New Yorker

The likelihood on the Yahoo talks is only about 50-50 thanyany form of marketing alliance comes out of them, and a significantly smaller likelihood even than that, that it would result in an outright acquisition of eBay by Yahoo -- although that possibility had not been ruled out.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "small likelihood" when communicating statistical data to avoid misinterpretation, clarifying the chances that an event will happen.

Common error

Avoid replacing "small likelihood" with stronger phrases (like "impossible") when there remains a non-zero chance of occurrence. Doing so misrepresents the situation and could lead to incorrect conclusions.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "small likelihood" functions as an adjectival phrase modifying a noun, indicating the degree of probability associated with the noun. It suggests that the chance of something occurring is low, as confirmed by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Science

38%

Academia

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Formal & Business

2%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "small likelihood" is a versatile and grammatically correct way to express a low probability of an event occurring. As shown by Ludwig, it is commonly used in various contexts, including news, scientific research, and academic discussions, showing its broad applicability. When using this phrase, ensure you're accurately portraying the degree of improbability and avoid overstating the unlikelihood of the event. This phrase maintains neutrality and clarity, allowing for effective communication of uncertainty.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

low probability

Direct synonym using "probability" instead of "likelihood" and is mostly interchangeable.

slight chance

Replaces "likelihood" with "chance", emphasizing the possibility aspect with a slightly more informal tone.

limited chance

Focuses on the restriction or constraint on the chance of something happening.

remote possibility

Substitutes "small" with "remote", indicating that the possibility is distant or unlikely.

reduced possibility

Emphasizes that the possibility has been lessened or diminished.

slim prospect

Uses "slim" to replace "small", highlighting the limited or reduced nature of the prospect.

minimal probability

Replaces "likelihood" with the more formal "probability" and "small" with "minimal", indicating the lowest possible chance.

negligible risk

Changes the focus to risk, suggesting that the potential negative outcome has a very low chance of occurring.

unlikely event

Frames the situation as an event that is not expected to happen.

rare occurrence

Indicates that the event happens infrequently.

FAQs

How can I use "small likelihood" in a sentence?

You can use "small likelihood" to describe an event that is not expected to happen. For example: "There is a "small likelihood" of rain tomorrow."

What can I say instead of "small likelihood"?

You can use alternatives like "slight chance", "remote possibility", or "slim prospect" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "small likelihood" or "low likelihood"?

Both "small likelihood" and "low likelihood" are correct and generally interchangeable. The choice often depends on stylistic preference or the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is "small likelihood" formal or informal?

"Small likelihood" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. It's a relatively neutral phrase that is widely understood and accepted.