was deemed likely

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was deemed likely" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing an assessment or judgment about the probability of an event or outcome occurring. Example: "The project was deemed likely to succeed based on the preliminary research findings."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

23 human-written examples

Given the prosody perceptual deficits that have been reported in paediatric cochlear implant recipients, it was deemed likely that regular communication partners of CI children, like parents, may compensate by altering their speech.

Clinical Linguistics and Phonetics

China was deemed likely to abuse them, but Beijing demanded their return.

The New York Times

That's a couple of percentage points more than the yield on similar Treasury bonds, but it's far below the rate you'd expect if default was deemed likely.

The New York Times

When the state got wind of a loyalist plot to blow up Gerry Adams, this particular murder was deemed likely to produce chaos, and levers were pulled to prevent it.

The Guardian - Opinion

The question was deemed likely to go to the Supreme Court, leading to discussion within the counsel's office about how the case would fare — and Kennedy's likely role as a swing vote.

The Washington Post

And since oil dealers are not under the Commission's jurisdiction and [p560] thus remain free to advertise, it was recognized that the ban can achieve only "piecemeal conservationism". Still, the Commission adopted the restriction because it was deemed likely to "result in some dampening of unnecessary growth" in energy consumption.

Cornell University

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

37 human-written examples

Another 101,000 acres were deemed "likely suitable" or "questionably suitable".

The New York Times

Names that are deemed likely to cause offence are also now prohibited.

Independent

The Charlotte Sting and Cleveland Rockers have been deemed likely contenders with the Orlando Miracle also improved.

The New York Times - Sports

But they do so only in cases of death or when a victim is deemed likely to die.

The New York Times

According to government statistics, imports shot up more than 20percentt, at a time when economic growth was slowing, and imports were deemed likely to fall.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "was deemed likely", ensure the context clearly indicates who made the assessment and on what basis. Providing this information strengthens the statement's credibility.

Common error

Avoid using "was deemed likely" without specifying who made the judgment. For example, instead of "It was deemed likely to rain", write "Meteorologists deemed rain likely based on radar data."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was deemed likely" functions as a passive construction used to express that a subject was judged or considered to have a high probability of something occurring. As shown by Ludwig, this construction appears across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

36%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "was deemed likely" is a grammatically correct and widely used expression to indicate that something was judged or considered probable. According to Ludwig, this phrase appears in a variety of contexts, particularly in scientific, news, and academic sources. The phrase serves to communicate an assessment of probability, often based on expert opinion or available data. When using this phrase, it's best to clearly attribute the assessment to a specific source to enhance credibility. Alternatives such as "was considered probable" or "was assessed as likely" can be used for stylistic variation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was considered probable

Replaces "deemed" with "considered" and "likely" with "probable", focusing on a general assessment of probability.

was assessed as likely

Highlights the assessment process in determining the likelihood.

was regarded as likely

Uses "regarded" instead of "deemed", implying a general opinion or view on the likelihood.

was judged to be probable

Focuses on a judgment or evaluation of the probability.

was believed to be likely

Emphasizes the belief or conviction regarding the likelihood.

was thought to be probable

Emphasizes the element of thinking or belief about the probability.

was expected to happen

Shifts the focus to expectation of an event, rather than a formal assessment of likelihood.

was forecast to happen

Uses "forecast" to suggest a prediction based on available data.

was anticipated to occur

Highlights the anticipation or expectation of an occurrence.

was presumed to be the case

Indicates an assumption or presumption that something is true.

FAQs

How can I use "was deemed likely" in a sentence?

Use "was deemed likely" to express that something was considered probable or had a high chance of occurring. For example, "The project's success "was deemed likely" due to the team's expertise".

What's a more formal alternative to "was deemed likely"?

A more formal alternative could be "was considered probable" or "was assessed as likely", which maintain a professional tone while conveying a similar meaning.

How does "was deemed likely" differ from "was possible"?

"Was deemed likely" indicates a higher probability than "was possible". "Possible" suggests something could happen, while ""was deemed likely"" implies a stronger expectation or assessment of probability.

Is it always necessary to specify who made the judgment when using "was deemed likely"?

While not always grammatically required, specifying who made the judgment strengthens credibility. Without attribution, ""was deemed likely"" can sound vague. Providing the source of the assessment makes the statement more convincing.