How to pronounce unlikely
Say it like un-LY-klee. Unlikely has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce unlikely. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- un
- LY
- klee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Unlikely pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- unKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- 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 unlikely
American and British speakers say unlikely in essentially the same way: /ənˈlaɪkli/ in the US and /ʌnˈlaɪkli/ in the UK.
British respelling: un-LY-klee.
What does unlikely mean?
- not likely to be true or to occur or to have occurred“legislation on the question is highly unlikely”“an improbable event”
- has little chance of being the case or coming about“an unlikely story”“an unlikely candidate for reelection”
- having a probability too low to inspire belief
Where does unlikely come from?
From Middle English unlykely, unlikly, unlykly, unlicli.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying unlikely
How do you pronounce unlikely?
Say un-LY-klee. The American pronunciation is /ənˈlaɪkli/. In British English it is /ʌnˈlaɪkli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in unlikely?
Unlikely has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LY). Broken into parts: un · LY · klee.
Do Americans and Brits say unlikely the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ənˈlaɪkli/ and the British form is /ʌnˈlaɪkli/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.