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

And when the outcome is slow, ponderous and predictable, the risk to set up in that shape becomes even less worth taking. —Thom Harris, The Athletic, 22 Dec. 2024

It can be argued that every single title match for Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes since WrestleMania 40 has been predictable. —Gord Magill, Newsweek, 22 Dec. 2024

Getty Images Experts note that earnings from record sales and licensing can vary greatly from year to year, while revenue from streaming and performance is more predictable. —Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 22 Dec. 2024

And the funding should be predictable so employers and intermediaries in every economic sector can justify investments in apprenticeship programs. —Ryan Craig, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1820, in the meaning defined at sense 1