Probable; expected to happen or be true.
“Analysts believe the new regulations will likely reduce emissions from local factories.”
“It is likely that the museum will extend its hours during the summer festival.”
In Part 3 passages, 'likely' often signals a prediction or probability rather than a confirmed fact. Examiners use this distinction to test whether you can separate paragraphs about possible future outcomes from paragraphs stating things that have already happened, so read closely when a question asks about certainty.
Synonyms: probable, expected, plausible