unpredictable

[uhn-pri-dik-tuh-buhl]

adjective

1. not predictable; not to be foreseen or foretold.

   an unpredictable occurrence.

   Synonyms: uncertain, variable, fitful, erratic

noun

1. something that is unpredictable.

   the unpredictables of life.

unpredictable

/ ˌʌnprɪˈdɪktəbəl /

adjective

1. not capable of being predicted; changeable

Other Word Forms

• unpredictability noun
• unpredictableness noun
• unpredictably adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of unpredictable¹

First recorded in 1855–60; un- ¹ + predictable

Example Sentences

One thing is clear: The AI revolution will almost certainly have unpredictable consequences.

Read more on Barron's

Mr Bailey has repeatedly warned about the unpredictable impact of US tariffs, and uncertainty around the world.

Read more on BBC

A pinched approximation of a muted trumpet suggests some kind of mutant jazz unfolding nearby, while unpredictable pitch changes conjure visions of a tape slipping off a spool.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

I don’t have much time; Woo is the very definition of unpredictable.

Read more on Literature

“The fortune-teller may have a true gift, but the situation is unpredictable, and we must plan for various outcomes. As Agatha Swanburne once said, ‘Trust whom you like, but rely on yourself.’

Read more on Literature

Related Words

• erratic 
• fickle 
• uncertain 
• unreliable 
• unstable