How to pronounce likely
Say it like LY-klee. Likely has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (LY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce likely. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- LY
- klee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Likely pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- LYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- kleeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of likely
American and British speakers say likely in essentially the same way: /ˈlaɪkli/ in the US and /ˈlaɪkli/ in the UK.
British respelling: LY-klee.
What does likely mean?
- has a good chance of being the case or of coming about“these services are likely to be available to us all before long”“she is likely to forget”
- likely but not certain to be or become true or real“a likely result”“he foresaw a probable loss”
- expected to become or be; in prospect“potential clients”
- with considerable certainty; without much doubt“He is probably out of the country”“in all likelihood we are headed for war”
Where does likely come from?
From Middle English likely, likly, lykly, likliche, from Old English ġelīclīċ (“suitable”) and Old Norse líkligr (“likely”) (probably independent formations), equivalent to like + -ly (adjectival suffix).
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with likely
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of likely.
Questions about saying likely
How do you pronounce likely?
Say LY-klee. The American pronunciation is /ˈlaɪkli/. In British English it is /ˈlaɪkli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in likely?
Likely has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (LY). Broken into parts: LY · klee.
Do Americans and Brits say likely the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈlaɪkli/ and the British form is /ˈlaɪkli/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.