probable
B1Neutral; common in formal, academic, and everyday contexts.
Definition
Meaning
Likely to happen or be the case.
Describes an event, outcome, or state that has a high chance of occurring based on available evidence or reasoning. It implies a greater likelihood than 'possible' but less certainty than 'certain'.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Exists primarily as an adjective. The noun form 'probable' is rare (e.g., in sports, 'a probable' for a likely team member). Often used predictively. Gradable (very/highly probable).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Spelling and pronunciation differ slightly.
Connotations
Neutral in both variants.
Frequency
Equally common in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
It is probable that + clausebe probable (for sb/sth) to do sthSubject + seem/look probableVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “In all probability”
- “The probable cause”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in forecasting and risk assessment (e.g., 'The probable impact on Q4 revenue is minimal.').
Academic
Common in scientific and statistical writing to describe likely results or hypotheses (e.g., 'The most probable interpretation of the data...').
Everyday
Used for general predictions (e.g., 'It's probable he'll be late.').
Technical
Used in law ('probable cause'), statistics ('probable error'), and weather forecasting ('probable precipitation').
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- A Labour victory looks probable after the latest polls.
- The probable cause of the delay is engineering works.
American English
- A Democratic victory looks probable after the latest polls.
- The officer established probable cause for the search.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Sunshine is probable this afternoon.
- He is the probable winner.
- It is probable that the meeting will be postponed.
- The most probable reason for his absence is illness.
- Given the economic indicators, a recession in the next year is highly probable.
- The detective lacked the probable cause needed for a warrant.
- The prosecution's most probable line of argument will focus on forensic evidence.
- Statistically, it is more probable that the hypothesis will be rejected.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: PROBABLE sounds like 'PROve-ABLE' – if something can be proved, it's likely true.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIKELIHOOD IS A SCALE / PROBABILITY IS WEIGHT (e.g., 'The evidence weighs in favour of a probable outcome.').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'probable' as an adverb. Russian 'вероятно' can be an adverb ('probably') or a short-form adjective ('probable'). English 'probable' is only an adjective.
- Avoid calquing 'very probable' as '*большой вероятный'. Use 'highly probable'.
- Remember the spelling: double 'b'.
Common Mistakes
- *It's probable to rain. (Correct: It's probable that it will rain. / Rain is probable.)
- Using as an adverb: *He will probable come. (Correct: He will probably come.)
- Confusing with 'possible' (lower likelihood).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses 'probable' correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Possible' means something can happen (any chance > 0%). 'Probable' means it is more likely than not to happen (chance > 50%).
No. The adjective is 'probable'. The adverb form is 'probably'.
The most common is 'It is probable that + clause' (e.g., It is probable that she will agree).
It is neutral. It is appropriate in both formal and informal contexts, though in very casual speech, 'likely' is often preferred.
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