predictable

American  

[pri-dik-tuh-buhl] / prɪˈdɪk tə bəl /

adjective

1. able to be foretold or declared in advance.

   New technology allows predictable weather forecasting.

2. expected, especially on the basis of previous or known behavior.

   His complaints are so predictable.

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Other Word Forms

• nonpredictable adjective
• predictably adverb

Etymology

Origin of predictable

First recorded in 1815–25; predict ( def. ) + -able ( def. )

Explanation

If you can predict it, I predict you'll call it predictable. In other words, anything that you can see or know before it happens is predictable. When she got out the fine china early in Act I, you could just tell the stuff would be smashed in Act III. It was all too predictable. Given the facts of their lives, the end of their relationship was predictable: he was married, and so was she, but not to each other. The roots of the word are fun to analyze: pre- means "before," dict means "to say," and able means, well, "able." Put them together, and you'll see that predictable means "able to be said before (it happens)" or, simply, something you know of before it happens.

Example Sentences

Looking at Patel’s career before he took over the FBI shows a strong pattern of thirsty behavior that makes all of this sadly predictable.

From Salon • Apr. 24, 2026

Perhaps the most predictable change to have coincided with the women's game becoming more professional has been at the set-piece.

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026

There are predictable howls to fire the manager, to fire the general manager, and maybe half of the team as well.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026

So as long as enough travelers are flying, the add-on revenue is more predictable.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026

That's why people grow weary of listening to Dumpees obsess over their troubles: getting dumped is predictable, repetitive, and boring.

From "An Abundance of Katherines" by John Green

Related Words

• certain