Likeliest

Likeliest is the superlative form of the English adjective likely. It denotes the greatest probability among a set of possible explanations, outcomes, or events. It is used to compare several possibilities, as in “The likeliest explanation is that the data were misrecorded,” or as a predicative adjective: “That is the likeliest outcome.” In everyday usage, speakers may prefer the more explicit “the most likely” or the comparative “likelier.” The form likelier is the comparative; likeliest is the superlative. The noun forms likelihood or likeliness express the concept of probability or plausibility.

Etymology and form: Likely comes from the Old English gelīc meaning “like” or “similar,” with the suffix -ly forming the adjective. The superlative is formed by adding -est to produce likeliest. The related comparative form is likelier, though some style guides prefer “more likely.”

Usage notes: In formal writing, “most likely” may be preferred to avoid awkwardness, though likeliest is widely understood and used in journalism, analysis, and academic writing. It does not convey certainty; it indicates a higher degree of probability relative to other considered possibilities.

Examples: The likeliest cause of the outage is a power fault. Among the proposed routes, the northern corridor is the likeliest path to reduce travel time.

See also: likelihood, probability, plausible, likely, likeliness, maximum likelihood estimate.