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 then, the authors say, the physics takes over in a highly predictable process. —ArsTechnica, 2 May 2026

In a financial environment where nothing feels certain, the ability to convert a lump sum of savings into a predictable monthly check — one that doesn't fluctuate based on what the market is doing — carries real value. —Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 1 May 2026

There have been debates about the entertainment value of the Premier League all season, but the top-flight of English football remains the least predictable of Europe’s top leagues. —Graham Ruthven, New York Times, 1 May 2026

There’s not a microgesture in Wilson’s work that isn’t scored, yet the composition is never predictable, never inhuman. —Sara Holdren, Vulture, 1 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1820, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for predictable

• indictable
• unpredictable