1. (

• likely

) has a good chance of being the case or of coming about; "these services are likely to be available to us all before long"; "she is likely to forget"; "a likely place for a restaurant"; "the broken limb is likely to fall"; "rain is likely"; "a likely topic for investigation"; "likely candidates for the job" ;

2. (

• probable ,
• likely ,

) likely but not certain to be or become true or real; "a likely result"; "he foresaw a probable loss" ;

3. (

• likely ,
• potential

) expected to become or be; in prospect; "potential clients" ;

4. (

• likely

) within the realm of credibility; "not a very likely excuse" ;

1. (

• probably ,
• likely ,
• in_all_likelihood ,
• in_all_probability ,
• belike

) with considerable certainty; without much doubt; "He is probably out of the country"; "in all likelihood we are headed for war" ;