The phrase "thought likely" is spelled using the English alphabet, but its pronunciation is best explained through the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) transcription. The first word, "thought," is pronounced /θɔːt/ with a voiced dental fricative (the "th" sound), followed by the long "aw" vowel sound and a silent "t." The second word, "likely," is pronounced /ˈlaɪkli/ with a stressed long "i" vowel sound, a voiced velar fricative (the "g" sound), and ending with the "-ly" suffix.
Thought likely is a phrase used to indicate a strong possibility or likelihood of something occurring or being true. It implies that there is a reasonable belief or expectation that a particular event or outcome will happen based on available information or evidence. The phrase suggests that careful consideration or analysis has been made, leading to a plausible conclusion.
When something is thought likely, it suggests that it is a probable or expected occurrence, although not necessarily guaranteed. The phrase implies a fairly high degree of certainty or likelihood, often based on past experiences, patterns, or logical reasoning. It conveys a sense of confidence in the predicted outcome or event.
"Thought likely" is frequently used in discussions, debates, or forecasts, both in everyday conversations and formal contexts. It helps express subjective or objective opinions about future probabilities, assuming that past patterns or available information strongly indicate a certain outcome.
For example, in the context of weather forecasting, if meteorologists predict rain based on the presence of dark clouds, lowering temperatures, and the direction of winds, they may say, "Rain is thought likely tomorrow." This means that the conditions observed highly suggest that rain is probable and expected to happen. Similarly, in a political prediction, one might say, "It is thought likely that the incumbent candidate will win the election," indicating that various factors and indicators point towards a high probability of their victory.