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Otherwise vs Likely - What's the difference?

otherwise | likely |

As adverbs the difference between otherwise and likely

is that otherwise is (lb) differently, in another way while likely is (obsolete) similarly.

As adjectives the difference between otherwise and likely

is that otherwise is other than supposed; different while likely is probable; having a greater-than-even chance of occurring.

As a noun likely is

something or somebody considered likely.

otherwise

English

Alternative forms

* otherwize

Adverb

(-)
  • (lb) Differently, in another way.
  • :
  • *2011 , Phil McNulty, Euro 2012: Montenegro 2-2 England
  • *:Fabio Capello insisted Rooney was in the right frame of mind to play in stormy Podgorica despite his father's arrest on Thursday in a probe into alleged betting irregularities, but his flash of temper - when he kicked out at Miodrag Dzudovic - suggested otherwise .
  • (lb)  In different circumstances; or else.
  • :
  • *
  • *:They burned the old gun that used to stand in the dark corner up in the garret, close to the stuffed fox that always grinned so fiercely. Perhaps the reason why he seemed in such a ghastly rage was that he did not come by his death fairly. Otherwise his pelt would not have been so perfect. And why else was he put away up there out of sight?—and so magnificent a brush as he had too.
  • *
    • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=4 , passage=No matter how early I came down, I would find him on the veranda, smoking cigarettes, or otherwise his man would be there with a message to say that his master would shortly join me if I would kindly wait.}}
  • *{{quote-magazine, year=2012, month=March-April, author=
    • , volume=100, issue=2, page=171, magazine=(American Scientist) , title= Well-connected Brains , passage=Creating a complete map of the human connectome would therefore be a monumental milestone but not the end of the journey to understanding how our brains work. The achievement will transform neuroscience and serve as the starting point for asking questions we could not otherwise have answered,
  • (lb) In all other respects.
  • :
  • *2013 , Phil McNulty, ''BBC Sport , 1 September:
  • *:Robin van Persie squandered United's best chance late on but otherwise it was a relatively comfortable afternoon for Liverpool's new goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, who has yet to concede a Premier League goal since his £9m summer move from Sunderland.

    • Usage notes

    * "Otherwise" is often used to refer to the negative of something. The something may be a noun phrase, a verb phrase, an adjective phrase, or an adverb phrase, or a clause, or even something larger.

    Synonyms

    * (differently) contrarily, contrastingly * (in different circumstances) if not, else (See or else) * (in all other respects) apart from that

    Antonyms

    * likewise

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Other than supposed; different.
    • He said he didn’t do it, but the evidence was otherwise .

    likely

    English

    Adjective

    (en-adj)
  • probable; having a greater-than-even chance of occurring
    • Rain is likely later this afternoon.
  • probable
    • They are likely to become angry with him.
  • *{{quote-news, year=2013, date=April 9, author=Andrei Lankov, title=Stay Cool. Call North Korea’s Bluff., work=New York Times citation
    • , passage=People who talk about an imminent possibility of war seldom pose this question: What would North Korea’s leadership get from unleashing a war that they are likely to lose in weeks, if not days?}}
  • appropriate, suitable; believable; having a good potential
    • Jones is a likely candidate for management.
  • plausible; Within the realm of credibility
    • not a very likely excuse.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=December 19 , author=Kerry Brown , title=Kim Jong-il obituary , work=The Guardian citation , page= , passage=The DPRK propagated an extraordinary tale of his birth occurring on Mount Baekdu, one of Korea's most revered sites, being accompanied by shooting stars in the sky. It is more likely that he was born in a small village in the USSR, while his father was serving as a Soviet-backed general during the second world war.}}
  • promising; Apt to achieve success or yield a desired outcome
    • a likely topic for investigation.
  • attractive; pleasant
    • found a likely spot under a shady tree for the picnic.
  • Reasonably to be expected; apparently destined.
    • He is likely to succeed at anything he tries.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=November 3 , author=Chris Bevan , title=Rubin Kazan 1 - 0 Tottenham , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=In truth, Tottenham never really looked like taking all three points and this defeat means they face a battle to reach the knockout stages -with their next home game against PAOK Salonika on 30 November likely to prove decisive.}}
  • (obsolete) Similar; like; alike.
    • (Spenser)

    Synonyms

    * liable

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • (obsolete) Similarly.
  • Probably.
  • *, chapter=1
    • , title= Mr. Pratt's Patients, chapter=1 , passage=Thinks I to myself, “Sol, you're run off your course again. This is a rich man's summer ‘cottage’ and if you don't look out there's likely to be some nice, lively dog taking an interest in your underpinning.”}}

    Usage notes

    * As an adverb, likely is often preceded by a modifier such as (most) or (quite). * Some usage guides consider adverbial likely'' - instead of ''probably - to be poor style and an artificial, sometimes pretentious way to imply a sense of erudition. One can also opt for the somewhat rarer adverbial form likelily.

    Noun

    (likelies)
  • Something or somebody considered likely.

    • Statistics

    * English hedges English modal adverbs