likely hood (likelihood)

Likelihood (one word) is the correct noun meaning "chance" or "probability." Do not write "likely hood," "likely-hood," or "likelyhood." Below: short rules, plenty of copyable wrong/right pairs, work/school/casual examples, and quick rewrites to paste into your draft.

Quick answer

"Likelihood" (one word) is the noun: the likelihood of X. "Likely" is an adjective (or an informal adverb): He's likely to come. Variants with a space or hyphen are incorrect.

• Likelihood = chance or probability: The likelihood of rain is high.
• Likely = probable / adjective: She is likely to arrive late.
• Search for: "likely hood", "likely-hood", "likelyhood" and replace with the correct form for clarity.

What "likelihood" means (grammar note)

"Likelihood" is a single, countable/uncountable noun. Use it when you need a noun phrase: "the likelihood of success," "a low likelihood." Use "likely" when you need an adjective or to form a prediction: "He is likely to win."

• Wrong usage mixes parts of speech: "There is a likely hood of rain." (incorrect)
• Right usage keeps the noun/adjective roles clear: "There is a high likelihood of rain." or "It is likely to rain."
• In technical statistics, "likelihood" can have a precise meaning; rely on discipline-specific usage when needed.

Hyphenation and spacing

Modern English writes this word closed, not hyphenated or split. "Likely-hood" and "likely hood" look like typos and interrupt reading flow.

• Correct: likelihood
• Incorrect: likely hood, likely-hood, likelyhood
• If you spot a split or hyphenation error, fix all instances in a single pass to keep tone consistent.

Related spacing problems to scan for: split compounds (e.g., "all together" vs. "altogether"), misplaced hyphens, and words that have changed form over time.

Why writers make this mistake

Many errors come from how words sound in speech. When you hear "likely" + "hood" in your head, it can tempt you to write them separately. Fast typing, autocorrect, or relying on memory instead of a quick check also introduce these slips.

• Sound-based guessing: you hear parts rather than the written unit.
• Overcorrection: trying to be literal about "hood" as a suffix.
• Typing quickly without verifying unfamiliar words.

Real usage: work, school, and casual examples

See how "likelihood" and "likely" behave in normal sentences. These examples show the most natural choices for each context.

• Work
  • Wrong: The delay increases the likely hood of missing the deadline.
  • Right: The delay increases the likelihood of missing the deadline.
  • Right (alt): Missing the deadline is likely if the delay continues.
• School
  • Wrong: There is a high likely hood that the experiment will fail without controls.
  • Right: There is a high likelihood that the experiment will fail without controls.
  • Right (alt): The experiment is likely to fail without proper controls.
• Casual
  • Wrong: Dinner is likely hood for tonight-I'll text you later.
  • Right: Dinner is likely for tonight-I'll text you later.
  • Right (noun): There's a good likelihood we'll grab dinner later.

Wrong vs. right examples you can copy

Six quick pairs to paste into your document or to memorize. Each "Wrong" shows the common split/hyphenation mistake; each "Right" fixes it.

• Wrong: There is a high likely hood of rain tomorrow.
  Right: There is a high likelihood of rain tomorrow.
• Wrong: The likely-hood of error rose with the new process.
  Right: The likelihood of error rose with the new process.
• Wrong: Their likelyhood of approval is low.
  Right: Their likelihood of approval is low.
• Wrong: Is it likely hood that the meeting will start on time?
  Right: Is it likely that the meeting will start on time?
• Wrong: The study measured likely hood across age groups.
  Right: The study measured likelihood across age groups.
• Wrong: We need to calculate likely-hood before deciding.
  Right: We need to calculate likelihood before deciding.

How to fix your sentence (quick rewrites)

Don't just swap words mechanically-read the sentence aloud after you fix it. Sometimes rephrasing yields a clearer sentence than a straight replacement.

• Original: This plan is likely hood if everyone stays late.
  Rewrite: This plan is likely to succeed if everyone stays late. (or: The likelihood of this plan succeeding increases if everyone stays late.)
• Original: The assignment feels likelyhood now.
  Rewrite: The assignment now seems likely. (or: The likelihood of finishing the assignment on time is low.)
• Original: Is that likely hood this afternoon?
  Rewrite: Is that likely this afternoon? (or: What is the likelihood of that happening this afternoon?)

A simple memory trick and similar mistakes

Picture "likelihood" as a single block: likeli-hood is not a separable phrase in modern spelling. Train your eye by noticing the closed form in published writing.

• Do not memorize "likely hood." Visualize one word: likelihood.
• Search your document for common variants and fix them in bulk.
• Watch for related problems: split compounds (e.g., "every day" vs. "everyday"), misplaced hyphens, and confusion between adjectives and nouns (e.g., "daily" vs. "dayly" mistakes).

FAQ

Is it "likely hood" or "likelihood"?

Always use "likelihood" as one word for the noun meaning "chance." "Likely hood" is incorrect.

Can I write "likely-hood" with a hyphen?

No. Standard English uses "likelihood" with no hyphen.

When should I use "likely" instead of "likelihood"?

Use "likely" as an adjective or prediction: "She's likely to come." Use "likelihood" when you need a noun: "The likelihood of rain is high."

Is "likelihood" the same as "probability"?

In general writing they are interchangeable. In statistics, "likelihood" can have a technical meaning-use the precise term appropriate for your audience.

What's the fastest way to fix this error across a long document?

Search for "likely hood", "likely-hood", and "likelyhood" and replace with "likelihood" or rephrase to use "likely" when an adjective fits better.

Want a quick final check?

Run a document search for the variants above or use a grammar tool to catch spacing and hyphenation mistakes. Fixing "likely hood" to "likelihood" makes your writing clearer and more professional with minimal effort.