the probability of a specified outcome
"The likelihood of rain increases significantly as the storm front approaches our region."
The probability of a specified outcome; the chance of something happening; probability; the state or degree of being probable.
"The likelihood of rain increases as dark clouds gather overhead."
In plain English: Likelihood is how probable something is to happen based on what you know so far.
"The likelihood of rain increased significantly by noon."
Usage: Use likelihood to describe how probable an event is, often functioning as a synonym for probability in everyday contexts. It frequently appears after phrases like "in all" (e.g., it's likely) but differs from similar nouns by emphasizing chance rather than certainty or frequency.
Likelihood comes from Middle English liklihode, which combined the word likely with the suffix -hood. It originally referred to a state of being probable or possible before entering modern usage.