English Reference
Noun

unpredictability

n. uncountable
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˌənpɹəˌdɪktəˈbɪɫɪti/ UK /ʌnpɹɪdˌɪktəbˈɪlɪti/ un·pre·dictabil·i·ty

n.the quality of being hard to guess or plan for. You use this when something changes suddenly and you cannot know what will happen next.

n.the quality of being difficult to foresee or anticipate; a lack of consistency or regularity in behavior or outcomes.


SIMPLE

The weather in this region is famous for its unpredictability.

CONTEXTUAL

The stock market's unpredictability makes it a risky choice for people who need their money to stay safe.

COMPLEX

While the scientist's theory was elegant, its failure to account for the unpredictability of human behavior led to a complete overhaul of the research model.

Xisco loves his unpredictability and invention, how you can’t take your eyes off him because you might miss him completely change the game.

The Guardian· 19 Aug 2026

Meanwhile, in agentic systems, businesses use multiple AI agents together to make decisions and take actions, further increasing both token use and unpredictability.

BBC News· 11 Aug 2026

From un- + predictability.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated