Probability and certainty – English vocabulary
33 words · English vocabulary · Created by OpenQuiz Team
33 English words with meanings: approximately, give or take, implausible, impossible, in all probability… Study them with flashcards, quizzes and AI…
Part of the learning path: Vocabulary in Daily Life - Advance
Word list
- approximately /ə'prɑ:ksɪmətli/ (adverb) — close to a number, but not exact
Example:The trip will take approximately two hours.
Synonyms: about, roughly, around - give or take (phrase) — used to show a number is not exact
Example:The answer is ten, give or take.
Synonyms: approximately, more or less - implausible /ɪm'plɔ:zəbəl/ (adjective) — not seeming likely or believable
Example:His excuse seemed implausible.
Synonyms: unlikely, unbelievable, far-fetched - impossible /ɪm'pɑ:səbl/ (adjective) — not able to happen or be done
Example:That idea is impossible to believe.
Synonyms: unachievable, not possible, unworkable - in all probability /ɪn ɔ:l ,prɑ:bə'bɪləti/ (phrase) — most likely; probably
Example:In all probability, the train will be late.
Synonyms: probably, most likely, in all likelihood - in excess of (phrase) — more than a stated amount
Example:The crowd was in excess of 1,000 people.
Synonyms: more than, over - in the event of /ɪn ði ɪ'vɛnt əv/ (phrase) — if a particular thing happens
Example:In the event of a fire, use the stairs.
Synonyms: if, in case - incredulous /ɪn'krɛdjʊləs/ (adjective) — unwilling or unable to believe something
Example:He looked incredulous at the news.
Synonyms: doubtful, disbelieving, skeptical - likelihood /,laɪkli'hʊd/ (noun) — the chance that something will happen
Example:There is a good likelihood of rain today.
Synonyms: chance, possibility, probability - more or less (phrase) — not exact, but close to the true amount
Example:The repair will cost more or less $50.
Synonyms: approximately, roughly - odds /ɑdz/ (noun) — the chance that something will happen
Example:The odds of rain are high today.
Synonyms: chance, likelihood, probability - or so /ɔr soʊ/ (phrase) — used after a number to show it is not exact
Example:It cost fifty dollars or so.
Synonyms: about, approximately, roughly - outlook /'aʊtlʊk/ (noun) — the way someone thinks about the future or a situation
Example:His outlook on life is very positive.
Synonyms: view, attitude, perspective - plausible /'plɔ:zəbəl/ (adjective) — seeming possible or reasonable
Example:Her explanation sounded plausible.
Synonyms: believable, reasonable, likely - posit /'pɑ:zɪt/ (verb) — to suggest something as true without proving it
Example:The scientist posited a new explanation for the results.
Synonyms: suggest, propose, put forward - possible way /'pɑ:səbəl weɪ/ (phrase) — a way that could be used or done
Example:Let's look for a possible way to fix it.
Synonyms: possible method, feasible way, potential way - predictable /prɪ'dɪktəbəl/ (adjective) — easy to guess because it follows a familiar pattern
Example:The ending was predictable.
Synonyms: expected, obvious, foreseeable - presume /prɪ'zju:m/ (verb) — to suppose something is true without enough proof
Example:I presume you are here for the meeting.
Synonyms: assume, suppose, take for granted - projected figures /prə'dʒektɪd 'fɪɡərz/ (noun) — numbers or amounts expected in the future
Example:The projected figures show higher sales next year.
Synonyms: forecast numbers, estimated figures, predicted amounts - put good money on /pʊt ɡʊd 'mʌni ɑ:n/ (phrase) — to be very sure that something is true or will happen
Example:I would put good money on her winning.
Synonyms: be sure, bet on, be confident - regardless /rɪ'ɡɑ:rdləs/ (adverb) — without being affected by what happens or is said
Example:She kept working, regardless of the noise.
Synonyms: despite, no matter, irrespective - revise upwards /rɪ'vaɪz 'ʌpwərdz/ (verb) — to change a number to a higher estimate
Example:They revised upwards the sales forecast.
Synonyms: raise, increase, adjust higher - round something down /raʊnd 'sʌmθɪŋ daʊn/ (phrase) — to change a number to the next lower whole number
Example:Please round the price down to the nearest dollar.
Synonyms: round off downward, lower to the nearest whole number, floor - run into six figures /rʌn 'ɪntu: sɪks 'fɪɡərz/ (phrase) — to reach a number in the hundreds of thousands
Example:The deal could run into six figures.
Synonyms: reach six figures, cost over 100,000, be in the hundreds of thousands - somewhere in the region of /'sʌm,wɛr ɪn ðə 'ri:dʒən əv/ (phrase) — used to mean a number is around a certain amount
Example:The house costs somewhere in the region of $300,000.
Synonyms: around, approximately, roughly - take something with a pinch of salt take the initiative (phrase) — to doubt something and not believe it completely
Example:Take his promise with a pinch of salt.
Synonyms: be skeptical, doubt, not take it seriously - tantamount /'tæntəmaʊnt/ (adjective) — so similar in effect or meaning that it is effectively the same
Example:Missing the meeting is tantamount to quitting.
Synonyms: equivalent, equal, virtually the same - the chances are /ðə 'tʃænsɪz ɑ:r/ (phrase) — it is likely that something will happen
Example:The chances are that it will rain later.
Synonyms: it is likely, probably, most likely - the odds are (against) /ði 'ɑ:dz ɑ:r ə'ɡenst/ (phrase) — the chances are not good
Example:The odds are against us, but we will try.
Synonyms: chances are poor, unlikely, not in our favor - undeniably /,ʌndɪ'naɪəbli/ (adverb) — in a way that cannot be doubted
Example:The results were undeniably impressive.
Synonyms: clearly, obviously, certainly
…and 3 more words in this set.
- Previous set: Discussion and debate
- Next set: Change over time