1
: in a manner that can be predicted
works quickly and predictably
2
: as one could predict : as one would expect
His reaction was predictably negative.
From the beginning, we fell predictably into familiar student roles.—Alexandra Fuller
Predictably, Southern's fans were not pleased.—Andrew Marantz

Examples of predictably in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The service is also working through practical challenges, including how drones will be deployed and maintained, how pilots will manage their workload, and how commanders can trust autonomous aircraft to behave predictably in complex environments. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026 Mentions of data centers have, predictably, shot up across all three networks in recent months as political backlash against AI swells and the data centers themselves have become a salient issue ahead of the midterms. — J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 12 Oct. 2026 When film and television try to capture the messy morality of these would-be titans, the results are predictably ambivalent. — Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 The publication of the book, days before Blazy’s spring 2027 show at the Grand Palais, predictably ruffled some feathers at Chanel. — Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for predictably

Word History

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of predictably was in 1914

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Cite this Entry

“Predictably.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/predictably. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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