English Reference
Adverb

predictably

adv.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /pɹɪˈdɪktəbɫi/ UK /pɹɪdˈɪktəbli/ pre·dictably

adv.in a way that is easy to expect or guess. You use this when something happens exactly as you thought it would.

adv.in a manner that is expected or easy to foresee. Often used to describe outcomes that follow a logical or established pattern.


SIMPLE

The team won the game predictably.

CONTEXTUAL

The politician's response to the question was predictably defensive, as he had avoided the topic for months.

COMPLEX

The market reacted predictably to the news, with investors selling off their shares immediately after the earnings report was released.

They fail predictably, repeatably, along familiar lines, for similar people.

Aeon· 3 Sept 2026

In theory, milestones follow a "socially prescribed timetable for the ordering of major life events." They unfold at certain ages, roughly predictably.

Phys.org· 24 Aug 2026
This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated