Improbable

/ɪmˈprɒb.ə.bəl/

Meaning & Definition

adjective
Not likely to happen or be true; unlikely.
It seems improbable that they would win the championship after such a poor start to the season.
Having a low probability; unlikely to occur.
The forecast predicts an improbable chance of snow in the summer.
Not convincing or believable; dubious.
His story was so improbable that nobody believed him.
Difficult to imagine or envision.
The idea of life on other planets seems improbable to many.

Etymology

From Latin 'improbabilis', where 'in-' means not and 'probabilis' relates to being proved.

Common Phrases and Expressions

improbable cause
A reason that seems unlikely or not credible.
improbable event
An occurrence that has a low likelihood of happening.

Related Words

probable
Likely to happen or be the case.
implausible
Not seeming reasonable or probable; failing to convince.

Slang Meanings

A long shot
Winning the lottery is a long shot, but it's not impossible.
A snowball's chance in hell
He has a snowball's chance in hell of finishing that project on time.