VocabuoDictionaryGet the app
adjective

trolig

likely

Definition & meaning

Trolig is a Swedish adjective meaning likely, probable, or plausible. It describes something that is expected to be true or to happen.

  • Det är troligt att hon kommer senare. — “It is likely that she will come later.”
  • Det är en trolig förklaring. — “It is a plausible explanation.”

Depending on context, trolig can also mean credible or believable, especially when describing an explanation, story, or account.

Grammar & Word origin

Trolig is an adjective.

  • Common gender: en trolig förklaring — “a likely explanation”
  • Neuter: ett troligt scenario — “a likely scenario”
  • Plural/definite: troliga orsaker — “likely causes”
  • Comparative forms: mer trolig — “more likely”, mest trolig — “most likely”

The word is derived from tro , meaning “to believe” or “to think”, with the adjective-forming suffix -lig. Its basic sense is therefore “worthy of belief” or “believable.”

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

  • sannolik — “probable” or “likely”; often more neutral and statistical than trolig.
  • antaglig — “probable” or “presumed”; somewhat more formal.
  • plausibel — “plausible”; emphasizes that something seems reasonable or credible.
  • trovärdig — “credible” or “trustworthy”; usually describes a person, source, or explanation rather than the probability of an event.

Antonyms

  • osannolik — “unlikely” or “improbable”; the direct opposite of trolig.
  • otrolig — “incredible” or “unbelievable”; can mean either extremely unlikely or difficult to believe.
  • omöjlig — “impossible”; stronger than osannolik, as it says that something cannot happen.

Common phrases & collocations

  • det är troligt att — “it is likely that”
  • en trolig förklaring — “a likely/plausible explanation”
  • den troligaste orsaken — “the most likely cause”
  • inte särskilt troligt — “not very likely”
  • inte troligt! — literally “not likely”; often used informally to mean “no way” or “I don’t think so”

Make “trolig” part of your vocabulary.

Build your Swedish vocabulary with flashcards, audio and spaced repetition.

Get Vocabuo on the App StoreGet Vocabuo for Android

Examples

Det är troligt att han kommer imorgon.adjective

It is likely that he will come tomorrow.

Keep exploring Swedish

Learn words from the content you love.

Add words from websites, books and videos, then remember them with spaced repetition (SRS).

Download on theApp StoreGET IT ONGoogle Play