predictability
Americannoun
-
consistent repetition of a state, course of action, behavior, or the like, making it possible to know in advance what to expect.
The predictability of their daily lives was both comforting and boring.
-
the quality of being regarded as likely to happen, as behavior or an event.
We were disheartened by the utter predictability of war.
Etymology
Origin of predictability
First recorded in 1850–55; predict(able) ( def. ) + -ability ( def. )
Explanation
Children with autism usually benefit from predictability in their schedules, where they can expect the same thing to happen routinely every day. Predictability has only one meaning, but it can be considered good or bad depending on the context. The predictability of sunrise and sunset is extremely helpful. If a mystery novel, however, suffers from predictability, there probably won't be very much "mystery" involved after all, and no one will want to read it.
Vocabulary lists containing predictability
Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: pre-
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The House No One Sees
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Even without our being able to know a particular fund’s predictability, the new study can still help investors choose between different funds.
From Barron's • Mar. 3, 2026
Large language models, a prominent form of artificial intelligence, rely on the predictability of language sequences to determine which part of a word is likely to appear next.
From Science Daily • Feb. 25, 2026
But the absence of predictability should be a cause for concern.
From Barron's • Feb. 24, 2026
"Competitiveness is won in operations, not treaties. Vietnam's advantage comes from speed, predictability and deep supply-chain integration, not just tariff access," said Kotla.
From BBC • Feb. 17, 2026
However, any observer who remained outside the black hole would not be affected by this failure of predictability, because neither light nor any other signal could reach him from the singularity.
From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
