likely

/ˈlaɪkli/

//ˈlaɪkli// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"likely" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“likely” has 9 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #637. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#637
frequency rank, English
2,297
“L” headwords
9
tracked misspellings
12
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Probable; having a greater-than-even chance of occurring.

Corpus desk

Index EN-likely · likely · English

likely · rank #637 · 9 variants · 12 confusables

  • FREQ-CORE #637
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 12 pairs
  • VAR-MID 9 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,297
  • PHOTO-FINISH lead

Nearest frequency peer: lead (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “likely”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “likely” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

likely vs lily
67% similar
likely vs likes
67% similar
likely vs Lilly
50% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for likely
PropertyValue
Headwordlikely
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈlaɪkli/
Letters6
Frequency rank#637
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs12
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “likely”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).likelylands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “lead” (#636), “military” (#638), “knew” (#635). Among 2,297 “L” headwords, “likely” is #637. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 9 spelling variants around likely (IPA /ˈlaɪkli/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #637 among 2,297 “L” headwords. Wiktionary lists 7 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for likely, with forms such as "ilkely", "liekly", and "likelly". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 12 confusable-pair relationships, "lily", "likes", "Lilly", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English likely, likly, lykly, likliche, from Old English ġelīclīċ (“suitable”) and Old Norse líkligr (“likely”) (probably independent formations), equivalent to like + -ly (adjectival suffix). The correct English form is likely, spelled L-I-K-E-L-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Probable; having a greater-than-even chance of occurring.
  2. 2
    Reasonably to be expected; apparently destined, probable.
  3. 3
    Appropriate, suitable; believable; promising, having a good potential.
  4. 4
    Plausible; within the realm of credibility.
  5. 5
    Leading with high probability to some specified outcome.
  6. 6
    Attractive; pleasant.
  7. 7
    Similar; like; alike.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how likely appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Rain is likely later this afternoon.
  2. His parents — a restless, titanically self-involved father and a mother who cultivated her inner life in strict solitude — seem a much likelier source for his condition.

Etymology

From Middle English likely, likly, lykly, likliche, from Old English ġelīclīċ (“suitable”) and Old Norse líkligr (“likely”) (probably independent formations), equivalent to like + -ly (adjectival suffix).

Synonyms

liable

This word in other languages

probable(Español)probable(Français)wahrscheinlich(Deutsch)provável(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ilkely
  • liekly
  • likelly
  • likelyy
  • likeyl
  • likkely
  • likley
  • lkiely
  • llikely

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of likely - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ilkely2liekly2likelly1likelyy1likeyl2likkely1likley2lkiely2
Edit distance from "likely"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "likely"?
"likely" is spelled L-I-K-E-L-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlaɪkli/.
What does "likely" mean?
As an adjective, "likely" means: Probable; having a greater-than-even chance of occurring.
What words are commonly confused with "likely"?
"likely" is commonly confused with "lily", "likes", "Lilly". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "likely"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "likely" is /ˈlaɪkli/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "likely"?
From Middle English likely, likly, lykly, likliche, from Old English ġelīclīċ (“suitable”) and Old Norse líkligr (“likely”) (probably independent formations), equivalent to like + -ly (adjectival suffix). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "likely", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

common#631what's#645center#649record#625

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (9 here; floor ≥5).

county9 variantsplayer9 variantsreturn9 variantsAmerica9 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list