improbability

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UK/ɪmˌpɹɒb.əˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/US/ɪmˌpɹɑb.əˈbɪl.ə.ti/US[ɪmˌpɹɑb.əˈbɪl.ə.ɾi]US/ɪmˌpɹɑb.əˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/

noun

The quality or state of being improbable; unlikelihood.

Similar
improbableness
Opposite
probability
OriginEnglish probability ← Middle English in- ← Latin in- →
UncommonScrabble 24
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Meanings

nounimprobability (countable and uncountable, plural improbabilities)

plural improbabilities

  1. countableuncountableThe quality or state of being improbable; unlikelihood.
  2. countableuncountableThat which is improbable; an improbable event or result.

    "I really," returned the other with a sneer, "cannot agree about probabilities or improbabilities, but I know what the generality will think when they see a gentleman constantly with five very pretty girls, and I also know what they will say."

    1838 (date written), L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter X, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], published 1842, →OCLC, page 130

Synonyms & antonyms

nounthe quality of being improbable

Similar
improbableness
Opposite
probability
Broader
uncertaintyuncertainnessprecariousness
Also see
improbableness

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*né
  2. Proto-Indo-European*n̥-
  3. Proto-Italic*n̥-
  4. Latinin-
  5. Middle Englishin-
  6. Englishim-
  7. Englishprobability
  8. Englishimprobability

From im- + probability.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian невероятност
  • невероятност (neverojatnost)unlikelihood
Catalan improbabilitat
  • improbabilitatunlikelihood
French improbabilité
  • improbabilitéunlikelihood
Hungarian valószínűtlenség
  • valószínűtlenségunlikelihood
Irish neamhdhóchúlacht, andóigh
  • neamhdhóchúlachtunlikelihood
  • andóighunlikelihood
Italian improbabilità
  • improbabilitàunlikelihood
Japanese 低確率
  • 低確率 (teikakuritsu)unlikelihood
Polish nieprawdopodobieństwo, nieprawdopodobieństwo
  • nieprawdopodobieństwounlikelihood
  • nieprawdopodobieństwothat which is improbable
Portuguese improbabilidade
  • improbabilidadeunlikelihood
Spanish improbabilidad, improbabilidad
  • improbabilidadunlikelihood
  • improbabilidadthat which is improbable

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with improbability

abilityfacilityutilitydisabilitypossibilitystabilitycapabilityprobabilityflexibilitycompatibilityvulnerabilityfertilityinstabilityagilityversatilityhostilityhumilitysensibilitynobilityimpossibilityfutilitymanageabilityfragilityvirility
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

improbability. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/improbability

MLA

“improbability.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/improbability. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “improbability,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/improbability.

Source: improbability on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.