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.

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Etymology

Origin of predictability

First recorded in 1850–55; predict(able) ( def. ) + -ability ( def. )

Example Sentences

"But predictability has value, and we have demonstrated that over all these past years and, dare I say, even these past weeks: we are where you know we will go," he added.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

The rule also validates the inclusion of lifetime income solutions, such as annuities, for American workers who need predictability in retirement.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

Approving an open-ended moratorium "will deliver stability and predictability for all traders", while showing that the WTO can deliver results, said Joseph Barloon, the US ambassador to the organisation.

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 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

This means that even if there were events before the big bang, one could not use them to determine what would happen afterward, because predictability would break down at the big bang.

From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking

Related Words

• consistency
• precision
• uniformity