UNPREDICTABLY Synonyms: 48 Similar and Opposite Words

unpredictably

adverb

as in intermittently

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of unpredictably Children played with buscaniguas, small chasing firecrackers that darted unpredictably across the ground. — Literary Hub, 1 July 2026 When alerts start to fluctuate unpredictably or systems require constant recalibration, teams often lose trust quickly. — Freddy Kuo, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 Although flu seasons can vary in disease severity, the virus mutates so unpredictably that pandemic flu seasons – like those in 1918, 1957, 1968 and 2009 – are a recurring possibility. — Katrine L. Wallace, The Conversation, 24 June 2026 The soft jersey fabric of these joggers gives you full leg coverage without feeling heavy or hot, which matters when cabin temperatures swing unpredictably. — Samantha Leal, Travel + Leisure, 22 June 2026 Extreme heat can cause smoke to move unpredictably, reducing visibility and creating hazardous driving conditions. — Anna McAllister, CBS News, 17 June 2026 Her neuroimaging research has found that menopause is associated with measurable changes in brain structure, connectivity and energy metabolism, particularly during perimenopause — the transitional years when estrogen levels fluctuate unpredictably. — Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 17 June 2026 Marion includes them on her list of colors to avoid because strong, highly pigmented shades can feel even heavier in low-light spaces and shift unpredictably under artificial lighting. — Natasha Bazika, Martha Stewart, 14 June 2026 This is because the puck, in particular, moves very fast, can move unpredictably, and is heavily influenced by subtle changes from interactions with paddles and walls. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 7 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unpredictably

Adverb

Oslo is intermittently concerned that the tiny Russian settlement of Barentsburg on Norway’s Svalbard archipelago might seek to become something bigger.

— Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
Roosevelt lived and ranched in North Dakota intermittently for about two years after the deaths of his wife and mother on the same day in 1884.

— Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 1 July 2026

Definition of intermittently

Adverb

Martin Filler The Met’s new Tristan und Isolde was a vocal triumph for Lise Davidsen and Michael Spyres, but Yuval Sharon’s staging only fitfully captured the essence of Wagner’s masterpiece.

— The New York Review of Books, The New York Review of Books, 23 May 2026
That’s Duncan’s dilemma from the very beginning of this fitfully hilarious episode of The Audacity.

— Scott Tobias, Vulture, 19 Apr. 2026

Definition of fitfully

Adverb

Parking lamps and daytime running lights that turn off or flicker unintentionally can increase the likelihood of a crash, according to the recall report.

— Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 10 July 2026
Farina says one of the biggest mistakes travelers make is unintentionally advertising that no one is home.

— Jill Schildhouse, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

Definition of unintentionally

Adverb

But aside from the virtually non-existent rear visibility and my tendency to unconsciously favor the left side of the lane due to the car’s central seating position, the 21C is remarkably easy to acclimate to.

— Bradley Iger, ArsTechnica, 6 July 2026
Many liberals had been disciplined to adopt methods that purported to strictly confine legal interpretation, only to discover that their most prominent adherents, whether covertly or unconsciously, had other plans.

— Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 2 July 2026

Definition of unconsciously

Adverb

His decision to put Iggy Pop‘s voice and James Williamson’s wild guitar melodies up front (while keeping the volume low on the rhythm section) inadvertently created a template used by bands from the Sex Pistols to the White Stripes and beyond.

— Debby Wolfinsohn, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026
This could inadvertently create a legal profession divided by technology, hindering smaller firms' ability to compete.

— Joseph Andrew, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026

Definition of inadvertently

Adverb

As the defender swung his leg at the ball, Yamal nipped in ahead of him and was accidentally kicked by Digne.

— Aleks Klosok, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
Around the seven-minute mark of the second quarter, Nelson came flying in for a block but accidentally landed on Washington (12 points, six rebounds), who was trying to take a charge on a layup attempt from Portland’s Quincy Olivari.

— Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 July 2026

Definition of accidentally

Adverb

Dean Fleischer Camp directed the film, which was originally meant to stream on Disney+, but fortuitously, things changed and, in 2024, the film was given a theatrical release.

— Angelique Jackson, Variety, 12 June 2026
Some folks in the band’s organization initially wanted to partner with a big beer company, but fortuitously, somebody countered idea with Dogfish Head.

— Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 26 Apr. 2026

Definition of fortuitously

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unpredictable

unpredictably

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“Unpredictably.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unpredictably. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of unpredictably

adverb

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