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

Interest rates have been anything but predictable in recent years, creating uncertainty for both business leaders and consumers alike. —Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025

That mainstream Republicans should balk at this approach, and strive to undo it, was equally predictable. —Benjamin Mazer, The Atlantic, 31 July 2025

As the sleepy sports calendar did its usual job of throttling Peacock’s momentum on the customer-acquisition front, the losses at Comcast’s legacy cable unit were similarly predictable. —Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 31 July 2025

These might be more predictable than the winner of the game. —Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1820, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for predictable

• indictable
• unpredictable