which is mostly likely

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "which is mostly likely" is not correct in English; it should be "which is most likely." You can use it when referring to something that has the highest probability of being true or occurring among several options.
Example: "The weather forecast indicates that rain is the condition which is most likely tomorrow."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Though the elongation at break is basically retained compared with pure PE, the presence of ND results in a slight reduction in tensile strength of approximately 28 MPa, which is mostly likely due to its distinct spherical form of ND reducing the intermolecular interaction of PE chains.

Nanoscale Research Letters

Our study indicates a change during the first year of life in the detoxification metabolism of phthalates, which is mostly likely linked to physiological maturation processes in newborn infants.

Environmental Health Perspectives

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Its customers can also install the system on their own servers and networks, which are mostly likely already compliant with HIPAA and other regulations.

TechCrunch

However, the shOPN group demonstrated only a tumor mass, which was mostly likely an adenoma or hyperplasia.

Plosone

That audience will most likely decline when she moves to satellite radio, which is mostly supported by subscriptions; in September Sirius XM reported it had 19.9 million subscribers.

The New York Times

These issues are more likely to resonate with voters than the health care bill which is mostly remembered by Obama swing voters as a polarizing and ugly fight.

Huffington Post

Which is mostly correct.

The New York Times - Books

Especially with polystyrene, which is mostly AIR.

Huffington Post

Which is mostly black and heavy.

Vice

Among the participants, 72 were using condoms, 57 were using an intrauterine device (IUD), and 35 were using the so-called rhythm method, in which a couple abstains from sex on the days pregnancy is mostly likely to occur.

Huffington Post

Any heated conversation, if they want one, is mostly likely to centre on football.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When indicating the highest probability, prefer the grammatically correct and widely accepted phrase "which is most likely".

Common error

Avoid using "which is mostly likely" as it's grammatically incorrect. Always opt for "which is most likely" or other alternatives to maintain clarity and credibility in your writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "which is mostly likely" functions as a relative clause aiming to specify a particular condition or outcome as the most probable. However, it is grammatically incorrect. Ludwig's examples show that the correct form is "which is most likely."

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "which is mostly likely" is grammatically incorrect; the correct form is "which is most likely". Ludwig highlights that, while the intent is to express high probability, using the accurate phrasing is essential for clear communication. Alternative expressions such as "which is highly probable" or "which is very likely" can also be used to convey a similar meaning. It's crucial to prioritize correct grammar and appropriate phrasing for effective and professional writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

which is most likely

Replaces "mostly" with "most", resulting in a grammatically correct and more common phrase.

which is highly probable

Substitutes "likely" with "probable" and "mostly" with "highly", indicating a high degree of certainty.

which is very likely

Replaces "mostly" with "very", maintaining the meaning of high probability but with slightly different emphasis.

which is quite likely

Uses "quite" instead of "mostly", suggesting a noticeable probability.

which is probably

Uses "probably" to convey that something is likely but not certain.

which is apt to

Replaces the entire phrase with a shorter idiom meaning 'inclined to or likely to'.

which is liable to

Similar to 'apt to', 'liable to' indicates a tendency or probability, often with negative connotations.

that will likely

Restructures the phrase to emphasize the likelihood of a future event.

that probably will

Changes structure to highlight probability of future action or event.

which is expected to

Emphasizes that something is anticipated or predicted to happen.

FAQs

What's the correct way to say "which is mostly likely"?

The grammatically correct alternative is "which is most likely". This phrasing accurately conveys the highest probability or likelihood.

Are there other phrases I can use instead of "which is mostly likely"?

Yes, alternatives include "which is highly probable", "which is very likely", or simply "which is probably".

Is "which is mostly likely" ever appropriate to use?

No, "which is mostly likely" is not considered standard English. It's best to use the grammatically correct alternative, "which is most likely".

What's the difference between "which is mostly likely" and "which is most likely"?

"Which is mostly likely" is grammatically incorrect. The correct phrase is "which is most likely", which means having the highest probability among several possibilities.