Cool MateHighly doubt it vs Unlikely
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Highly doubt it
InformalBeyond 10,000 (less common)
Unlikely
Top 2,000 (common)B1adjective
Most formal: UnlikelyMost common: Unlikely
| Highly doubt it | Unlikely | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ˈhaɪli daʊt ɪt//🇺🇸 //ˈhaɪli daʊt ɪt// | 🇬🇧 /["/ʌnˈlaɪkli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ʌnˈlaɪkli/"]/ |
| Meaning | I don't think that will happen. | Not likely to happen or to be true. |
| Example | I highly doubt it will rain tomorrow since the sky is clear. | It is unlikely that it will rain today given the clear skies. |
| Register | Informal | Neutral |
| How common | Beyond 10,000 (less common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | - | B1 |
| Part of speech | adjective | |
| Collocations | highly unlikely, highly skeptical, highly improbable | appear, be, look, extremely, fairly, very, appear, be, look, extremely, fairly, very, appear, be, look, extremely, fairly, very |
| Antonyms | - | likely, probable, certain |
| Common mistakes | Omitting 'it' and saying 'Highly doubt', Using in very formal contexts incorrectly, Confusing with 'doubt it highly' | Confused with 'unlikely' vs 'unlikelyhood', Incorrectly using it in an informal context where 'improbable' might fit better., Using 'unlikely' to describe a person's character instead of a situation. |
| Usage notes | Used in casual conversations to express skepticism or disbelief. It's not appropriate for formal writing or discussions. | Use 'unlikely' to describe situations or outcomes that are not expected. It's more appropriate in neutral contexts; avoid in very formal writing. |
See it in real clips
Frequently asked questions: Highly doubt it vs Unlikely
What's the difference between Highly doubt it and Unlikely?
Highly doubt it: I don't think that will happen. Unlikely: Not likely to happen or to be true.
Which is more formal: Highly doubt it and Unlikely?
Unlikely is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Highly doubt it and Unlikely?
Unlikely is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Highly doubt it: I highly doubt it will rain tomorrow since the sky is clear. Unlikely: It is unlikely that it will rain today given the clear skies.
Can I use Highly doubt it and Unlikely interchangeably?
Not always. Highly doubt it and Unlikely are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.