improbability
C1formal
Definition
Meaning
The quality or state of being unlikely to happen or to be true.
An event, situation, or statement that is extremely unlikely; something that has a very low chance of occurring.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Refers to mathematical or logical improbability as well as to counterintuitive or surprising events. Often used in philosophical, scientific, and literary contexts to discuss chance, coincidence, or narrative plausibility.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or usage differences. Slightly more common in British academic prose.
Connotations
Neutral in both varieties, leaning towards formal or technical contexts.
Frequency
Low-frequency noun in both varieties; more common in written than spoken English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
the improbability of (something)given the improbability thatdespite its improbabilityVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “a million-to-one chance”
- “against all odds”
- “a snowball's chance in hell”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in risk assessment: 'The board dismissed the proposal due to the high improbability of success.'
Academic
Common in statistics, philosophy, physics, and literature: 'The study calculated the statistical improbability of such an outcome occurring by chance.'
Everyday
Used to express astonishment: 'The sheer improbability of us meeting again after twenty years is amazing.'
Technical
Used in probability theory, quantum mechanics, and information theory to denote events with extremely low probability measures.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The evidence improbabilises the defendant's alibi.
American English
- No common verb form exists; use 'make improbable'.
adverb
British English
- The event unfolded improbabilistically.
American English
- It was improbably lucky.
adjective
British English
- The theory was based on an improbabilistic assumption.
American English
- The plot felt highly improbable.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Winning the lottery twice is an improbability.
- The improbability of rain means we can have the picnic.
- Given the improbability of finding a taxi, we decided to walk.
- Scientists were stunned by the statistical improbability of the results.
- The sheer improbability of such a complex organism arising by chance challenges simplistic evolutionary models.
- Narrative fiction often relies on the strategic deployment of improbability to create plot twists.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
IMPROBABILITY = IM (not) + PROBABILITY (chance). Think: 'I'm probably not going to happen.'
Conceptual Metaphor
CHANCE IS A FORCE (overcome the improbability), IMPROBABILITY IS DISTANCE (remote chance), IMPROBABILITY IS WEIGHT (sheer improbability).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque 'импробэбилити'. Use 'маловероятность' or 'невероятность' (which also means 'amazingness', creating a false friend risk).
Common Mistakes
- Confusing with 'impossibility' (improbability implies a very small chance, not zero). Incorrect plural: 'improbabilities' is acceptable but rare. Mispronunciation: stressing the first syllable (IM-probability) is incorrect.
Practice
Quiz
In which field is 'improbability' LEAST likely to be a technical term?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Improbability means something is very unlikely but still possible. Impossibility means it cannot happen under any circumstances.
Yes, but it sounds quite formal. In casual speech, people more often say 'It's very unlikely' or 'There's hardly any chance'.
The direct adjective is 'improbabilistic', but it's rare and technical. The much more common related adjective is 'improbable'.
The British pronunciation is /ɪmˌprɒbəˈbɪlɪti/, with the primary stress on the fourth syllable (-bil-) and secondary stress on the first syllable (im-).