Describing Probability: English Vocabulary List

unable to be prevented

"Change is inevitable."

"Change is inevitable and we must learn to adapt to new situations instead of resisting them because fighting the inevitable only causes more stress and unhappiness."

unable to be prevented or escaped

"The delay is unavoidable."

"The delay was unavoidable because of the severe weather conditions so the airline apologized to the passengers and offered them hotel vouchers for the night."

having the possibility of being imagined or believed

"It is conceivable."

"It is conceivable that humans will one day live on Mars but many technological challenges must be solved before that dream can become a reality."

extremely difficult or impossible to conceive or visualize

"The pain is unimaginable."

"The destruction caused by the earthquake was unimaginable and the survivors struggled to find food water and shelter in the days following the terrible disaster."

seeming believable or reasonable enough to be considered true

"Her story is plausible."

"The detective presented a plausible theory that explained all the confusing clues in the case."

not seeming believable or reasonable enough to be considered true

"His excuse is implausible."

"Her excuse for being late was implausible and the boss did not believe that a giant turtle had blocked the road on her way to work."

not in any way accurate or true to life

"Her expectations are unrealistic."

"His plan to become a millionaire within six months was unrealistic and his friends advised him to focus on getting a steady job instead of gambling."

certainly happening and unlikely to change

"We need a definite answer."

"The doctor gave a definite diagnosis after running several tests and the patient finally knew what was causing his symptoms and how to treat the condition."

promised with certainty that something will happen or be done

"Success is not guaranteed."

"The product comes with a guaranteed warranty for five years so if it breaks you can return it to the store and get a full refund."

having the potential of being done successfully

"The plan is feasible."

"The engineer determined that the construction project was feasible within the given budget and timeline so the company decided to move forward with the plans."

uncertain or reluctant to act or speak, often due to doubt or indecision

"She is hesitant."

"The young man was hesitant to ask his boss for a raise because he was afraid of being rejected and he did not want to seem greedy or entitled."

subject to argument or disagreement

"That point is debatable."

"Whether the benefits of the new policy outweigh the costs is debatable and economists have different opinions based on their analysis of the available data."

not producing a clear result or decision

"The evidence is inconclusive."

"The results of the experiment were inconclusive so the scientists had to repeat the study with a larger sample size to obtain more reliable and valid data."

clearly true and therefore impossible to deny or question

"Her talent is undeniable."

"The evidence against the suspect was undeniable and the jury took only an hour to return a guilty verdict in the high profile murder trial."

not firmly established or decided, with the possibility of changes in the future

"We made a tentative plan."

"The two companies reached a tentative agreement after weeks of negotiation but the final contract still needs to be approved by the board of directors."

not expected or anticipated, often leading to surprise or disruption

"There were unforeseen problems."

"The project encountered unforeseen problems that delayed its completion by several months and the team had to work overtime to meet the new deadline."

expected based on available information or evidence

"It is presumable."

"It is presumable that the missing hiker got lost in the forest because he did not have a map or a compass with him when he left the campsite."

(of a person) unsure or hesitant about the credibility or goodness of something

"His claim is dubious."

"The dubious claim that drinking this juice cures cancer has been debunked by medical experts who warn consumers not to believe false advertising."

without a doubt

"He gave a categorical denial."

"The president issued a categorical denial of the allegations and he stated clearly that he had never met with the foreign officials who were mentioned in the report."

bound to succeed or happen as expected

"This is a sure-fire method."

"The entrepreneur thought he had a sure-fire way to make money quickly but his business failed within six months because he did not do proper market research."

acting or talking with hesitation due to uncertainty or lack of confidence

"His speech was halting."

"The nervous student gave a halting presentation because he kept forgetting his lines and he had to pause frequently to look at his notes on the podium."

primarily based on pure guess-work rather than definite knowledge

"The theory is conjectural."

"The historian's theory about the lost treasure is purely conjectural because no physical evidence has ever been found to support his claims about its location."

displaying confidence in oneself and one's capabilities

"She is assured."

"The candidate spoke in an assured manner during the job interview and the hiring manager was impressed by her confidence and clear communication skills."

not known, measured, or specified precisely

"The result is indeterminate."

"The length of the prison sentence was indeterminate and the judge would decide how many years the convict would serve based on his behavior while incarcerated."