Likely vs Probably

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Likely

Top 1,000 (very common) A2 adjective

Probably

Top 1,000 (very common) A1 adverb

	Likely	Probably
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/ˈlaɪkli/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈlaɪkli/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/ˈprɒbəbli/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈprɑːbəbli/"]/
Meaning	It probably will happen.	most likely; it seems that something will happen
Example	It is likely that it will rain tomorrow.	You're **probably right**.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 1,000 (very common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	A2	A1
Part of speech	adjective	adverb
Collocations	appear, be, look, extremely, fairly, very	probably going to, probably not, probably true
Antonyms	unlikely, improbable	unlikely, improbable
Common mistakes	'Likely' vs 'likelihood': Confused the adjective with the noun., 'Likely' placement: Wrongly placed before the verb instead of before 'to'., 'Unlikely' usage: Misusing 'unlikely' in positive contexts.	Using 'probably' with negative verbs incorrectly, 'Probably' used too frequently can sound unsure, Confusing 'probably' with 'probably not'
Usage notes	Use 'likely' to express probability in neutral contexts. Avoid in very formal writing; use 'probable' instead. For informal contexts, 'likely' is suitable.	Use 'probably' when you want to indicate that something is likely true or will happen. It's appropriate in both spoken and written English, but avoid in very formal contexts where more certain language is expected.

See it in real clips

Sherlock › S1 E1

You're looking for a man probably with a history of military service and...

Breaking Bad › S1 E3

Probably used to be, what, like a Girl Scout

Breaking Bad › S1 E6

Probably chopped up into little pieces and fed to the buzzards.

Sherlock › S1 E1

You're looking for a man probably with a history of military service and...

Breaking Bad › S1 E3

Probably used to be, what, like a Girl Scout

Probably

Frequently asked questions: Likely vs Probably

What's the difference between Likely and Probably?

Likely: It probably will happen. Probably: most likely; it seems that something will happen

Which is more advanced: Likely and Probably?

Likely is the highest level, at A2, on the CEFR scale.

Are Likely and Probably the same CEFR level?

Likely: A2, Probably: A1 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are Likely and Probably?

Likely: adjective, Probably: adverb.

Can you show an example of each?

Likely: It is likely that it will rain tomorrow. Probably: You're **probably right**.

Can I use Likely and Probably interchangeably?

Not always. Likely and Probably 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.