[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/improbable.html)

[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / improbable

[← I](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/I/)

# improbable

«improbable» in Mova's school dictionary: **Not likely to happen or to be true** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples.

### part of speech

adjective (improbable, more improbable); adverb «improbably»; noun «improbability»

### meaning for a pupil

1) Not likely to happen or to be true. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/improbable/#m1)

2) Strange and surprising: an improbable friendship between a cat and a duck. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/improbable/#m2)

### sense in the lessons

In maths, probability words go from impossible to certain; «improbable» means unlikely, close to the impossible end. In stories, an improbable event surprises the reader. Phrases: highly improbable, it is improbable that, an improbable winner.

### examples

- It is improbable that it will snow in July in London. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/improbable/#x1)
- Rolling a six ten times in a row is highly improbable. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/improbable/#x2)
- The underdog team won an improbable victory. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/improbable/#x3)
- The dog and the rabbit had an improbable friendship. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/improbable/#x4)
- It's improbable but not impossible. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/improbable/#x5)
- Getting every answer right by guessing is very improbable. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/improbable/#x6)
- Nay, that is almost too improbable; and yet it is true. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/improbable/#x7)

### note

Opposite: «probable». In maths probability: improbable means a probability near 0 but not 0; impossible = 0, certain = 1. Similar: «unlikely».

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «improbable» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/improbable/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.