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

In the six-month-long outdoor study conducted on the roof of the Sydney Nanoscience Hub, dew could be collected over 32 percent of the year and so could provide a sustainable and predictable supply of water even in periods with no rain. —Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 9 Nov. 2025

But predictable passwords like these are concerningly common. —Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025

The poor grades for financial and legal providers, and high marks for more personal services, go beyond the predictable emotional benefits of feeling and looking better every day. —Robert Frank, CNBC, 8 Nov. 2025

Paint is predictable, almost passé, for certain clients. —Kathryn O’Shea-Evans, Robb Report, 8 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1820, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for predictable

• indictable
• unpredictable