Likelihood vs Certainty - What's the difference?
likelihood | certainty |
The probability of a specified outcome; the chance of something happening; probability; the state of being probable.
(statistics) The probability that some fixed outcome was generated by a random distribution with a specific parameter.
Likeness, resemblance.
(archaic) Appearance, show, sign, expression.
The state of being certain.
* Fisher Ames
An instance of being certain.
A fact or truth unquestionably established.
* November 2 2014 , Daniel Taylor, "
* 1824 , (Walter Savage Landor), Imaginary Conversations Volume 1
As nouns the difference between likelihood and certainty
is that likelihood is the probability of a specified outcome; the chance of something happening; probability; the state of being probable while certainty is the state of being certain.likelihood
English
Noun
(Likelihood function)- In all likelihood the meeting will be cancelled.
- The likelihood is that the inflation rate will continue to rise.
- "There is no likelihood between pure light and black darkness, or between righteousness and reprobation." (Sir W. Raleigh)
- "What of his heart perceive you in his face by any likelihood he showed to-day ?" (Shak)
Synonyms
* likeliness * oddsAntonyms
* unlikelihoodcertainty
English
Noun
- The certainty of punishment is the truest security against crimes.
Sergio Agüero strike wins derby for Manchester City against 10-man United," guardian.co.uk
- Yet the truth is that City would probably have been coasting by that point if the referee, Michael Oliver, had not turned down three separate penalties, at least two of which could be accurately described as certainties .
- Certainties are uninteresting and sating.