predictive

adjective

pre·​dic·​tive pri-ˈdik-tiv 

1

: of, relating to, or usable or valuable for prediction

predictive medical factors

2

: based on or generated by using methods of prediction

predictive models

predictive text

Usually predictive policing refers to feeding reams of city data into a computer and dispatching extra officers to areas that are deemed to be at high risk of future crime.

—Leon Neyfakh

predictively adverb

Like an astrological chart, it can be made to fit any case, and it works better retrospectively than predictively.

—Carol Tavris

Synonyms

• prophetic
• prophetical

Examples of predictive in a Sentence

unfortunately, the stock market crash of 1929 turned out to be a predictive event, for the next decade was consumed by the Great Depression

Recent Examples on the Web

For example, tracking the resale performance of specific generations of enterprise servers or professional workstations can allow for accurate predictive pricing. —Albert Golukhov, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025

Now, Meacham is going all in on predictive analytics. —Katherine Fung, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 June 2025

From there, the analytical side of the equation is about making predictive conclusions. —Tashan Reed, New York Times, 2 June 2025

Research initiatives are also essential for advancing our understanding of severe weather patterns and improving predictive models. —Bryan Karrick, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1637, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for predictive

• addictive
• constrictive
• restrictive
• vindictive
• fictive
• magnetostrictive