predictable

adjective

pre·​dict·​able pri-ˈdik-tə-bəl 

1

: capable of being predicted : able to be known, seen, or declared in advance

a predictable reaction/outcome

a very predictable plot

changes occurring at a steady and predictable rate

2

: behaving in a way that is expected

I knew he would say that. He's so predictable.

predictability

pri-ˌdik-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

By comparing the projections, meteorologists can get a measure of the weather's predictability: The less agreement among the forecasts, the less predictable the weather.

—Richard Monastersky

Examples of predictable in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But unlike a dual-class listing that concentrates power and eliminates accountability, these models distribute power and build accountability in a way that is predictable for shareholders – exactly as public companies were initially designed. —Mary Johnstone-Louis, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026

While most annual meteor showers follow a fairly predictable script, the June Bootids have a habit of surprising astronomers. —Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 19 June 2026

What Black fans understood in 1936 and 1938—what caused so much grief for them—was that both reactions to Louis were predictable in their own way. —Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 19 June 2026

Cooking for 35 guests at Poltergeist felt much simpler and more predictable — even though his menu had been more complex. —Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1820, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for predictable

• indictable
• unpredictable