Unlikely vs Hardly - What's the difference?
unlikely | hardly |
Not likely; improbable; not to be reasonably expected.
* 1895 , H. G. Wells, The Time Machine Chapter X
Not holding out a prospect of success; likely to fail; unpromising.
Something or somebody considered unlikely.
* 1980 , Robert K. Lindsay, Applications of artificial intelligence for organic chemistry
* 1996 , Laurie R. King, To Play the Fool
* 2001 , Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Marci Shimoff, Chicken soup for the mother's soul 2 (page 166)
(manner, obsolete) Firmly, vigorously, with strength or exertion.
*, Folio Society, 2006, vol.1, p.148:
(manner, archaic) Harshly, severely.
With difficulty.
*, Folio Society, 2006, vol.1, p.234:
* 1977 , , The Honourable Schoolboy , Folio Society 2010, p. 40:
(degree) Barely, only just, almost not.
* {{quote-news, year=2011, date=November 3, author=David Ornstein, work=BBC Sport
, title= * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-06, volume=408, issue=8843, page=68, magazine=(The Economist)
, title= Not really.
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)- It's very unlikely that you'll be able to walk perfectly after being in a cast for six months.
- 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.
- unlikely means
Noun
(unlikelies)- 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.
- "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."
- 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)- Let him hardly be possest with an honest curiositie to search out the nature and causes of all things.
- 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.
- While in Chelsea, Anne Smiley pined, taking very hardly to her unaccustomed role of wife abandoned.
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.}}
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 televisionSynonyms
* barely, just, only just, scarcelyInterjection
(en interjection)- I think the Beatles are a really overrated band. &
- x2015; Hardly !