predictability

American  

[pri-dik-tuh-bil-i-tee] / prɪˌdɪk təˈbɪl ɪ ti /

noun

1. 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.

2. 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. )

Example Sentences

Waning trust in the predictability of American government policy feeds into bigger concerns.

From Barron's

That predictability is also important for hundreds of suppliers that produce one doodad or another for missiles.

From The Wall Street Journal

The point isn’t perfection—it’s predictability, pleasure, and the quiet relief of knowing that, even when the week is long and the budget short, dinner is still a thing you can get right.

From Salon

That predictability allows insurers to be creative in how they invest insurance reserves, locking up money in private credit.

From The Wall Street Journal

Oracle’s move toward subscription-based cloud revenue has given the company a more reliable revenue stream, and provides customers with more cost predictability and fewer internal IT expenses.

From Barron's

Related Words

• consistency
• precision
• uniformity