adv · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:P R IH0 D IH1 K T AH0 B L IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adv
Meaning 1
In a manner that can be expected or anticipated.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Predictably he returned to the scene of his crime, where the police were waiting to arrest him.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adverb
Meaning 2
in a predictable manner or to a predictable degree
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
predictably, he did not like the news
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English predictable Middle English -ly English -ly English predictably From predictable + -ly.
Across languages
Translations
1 source translations are retained for this English entry.