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Unlikely vs Hardly - What's the difference?

unlikely | hardly |

As adverbs the difference between unlikely and hardly

is that unlikely is in an improbable manner while hardly is firmly, vigorously, with strength or exertion.

As an adjective unlikely

is not likely; improbable; not to be reasonably expected.

As a noun unlikely

is something or somebody considered unlikely.

As an interjection hardly is

not really.

unlikely

English

Adjective

(en-adj)
  • Not likely; improbable; not to be reasonably expected.
  • It's very unlikely that you'll be able to walk perfectly after being in a cast for six months.
  • * 1895 , H. G. Wells, The Time Machine Chapter X
  • Now, I still think that for this box of matches to have escaped the wear of time for immemorial years was a strange, and for me, a most fortunate thing. Yet oddly enough I found here a far more unlikely substance, and that was camphor.
  • Not holding out a prospect of success; likely to fail; unpromising.
  • unlikely means

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • In an improbable manner.
  • Noun

    (unlikelies)
  • Something or somebody considered unlikely.
  • * 1980 , Robert K. Lindsay, Applications of artificial intelligence for organic chemistry
  • The molecular ion candidates are divided by the testing phase into three categories: rejects, unlikelies , and probables. Differences between each candidate and the prominent peaks in the spectrum are computed.
  • * 1996 , Laurie R. King, To Play the Fool
  • "Here is my every possible phone number, plus a few unlikelies . And I've also put down the numbers of Karin and Wade, in case you've lost them. Karin can come anytime; Wade, up until six in the morning."
  • * 2001 , Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Marci Shimoff, Chicken soup for the mother's soul 2 (page 166)
  • Then the most unlikely of unlikelies happened. We got another phone call. Another woman wanted to give us a baby—a boy, born just that morning. We walked into a hospital, and he was placed into my arms.

    References

    *

    hardly

    English

    Adverb

    (en-adv)
  • (manner, obsolete) Firmly, vigorously, with strength or exertion.
  • *, Folio Society, 2006, vol.1, p.148:
  • Let him hardly be possest with an honest curiositie to search out the nature and causes of all things.
  • (manner, archaic) Harshly, severely.
  • With difficulty.
  • *, Folio Society, 2006, vol.1, p.234:
  • And what gentle flame soever doth warme the heart of young virgins, yet are they hardly drawne to leave and forgoe their mothers, to betake them to their husbands.
  • * 1977 , , The Honourable Schoolboy , Folio Society 2010, p. 40:
  • While in Chelsea, Anne Smiley pined, taking very hardly to her unaccustomed role of wife abandoned.
  • (degree) Barely, only just, almost not.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2011, date=November 3, author=David Ornstein, work=BBC Sport
  • , title= Macc Tel-Aviv 1-2 Stoke , passage=With this the second of three games in seven days for Stoke, it was hardly surprising to see nine changes from the side that started against Newcastle in the Premier League on Monday.}}
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-06, volume=408, issue=8843, page=68, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= The rise of smart beta , passage=Investors face a quandary. Cash offers a return of virtually zero in many developed countries; government-bond yields may have risen in recent weeks but they are still unattractive. Equities have suffered two big bear markets since 2000 and are wobbling again. It is hardly surprising that pension funds, insurers and endowments are searching for new sources of return.}}

    Usage notes

    In the sense "barely", it is grammatically a negative word. It therefore collocates with ever rather than never. * Compare example sentence with I almost never watch television

    Synonyms

    * barely, just, only just, scarcely

    Interjection

    (en interjection)
  • Not really.
  • I think the Beatles are a really overrated band. &
  • x2015; Hardly !