phrasal verb · neutral

look unlikely to

/lʊk ʌnˈlaɪkli tə/look UN·LIK·ly to

speakingtask2

appear improbable to happen

Examples

After the latest setback, an immediate recovery looks unlikely to happen.

Given the budget cuts, the plan looks unlikely to be implemented this year.

Without more volunteers, the event looks unlikely to go ahead.

Band 8 sentence

Given current funding problems, a full recovery looks unlikely to occur in the next financial year.

Collocations

  • look unlikely to + verb
  • look increasingly unlikely to

Word family

looks unlikely to vlooking unlikely to v-ing

Common mistakes

looks unlikey tolooks unlikely to

is unlikelylooks unlikely to

Say it for a higher band

5probably not6be unlikely to7+look unlikely to

Synonyms

seem unlikely to

be unlikely to

Easily confused

be unlikely to

The project is unlikely to be finished on time.

Related words

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In look …

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