UNPREDICTABLY Synonyms: 48 Similar and Opposite Words

unpredictably

adverb

as in intermittently

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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.

Recent Examples of unpredictably However, that stiffness can make physical interactions harder to manage, especially when objects move unpredictably or require a softer touch. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026 Over time, the tags fall off or attach chaotically, meaning tags are inconsistent between cells and genes start turning on unpredictably. — Jacek Krywko, Scientific American, 7 Oct. 2026 Outdoors is also a rough place to work, since humidity, temperature, and wind swing unpredictably. — New Atlas, 4 Oct. 2026 Recent studies have proposed that these fluctuations are not purely random but occur within what is known as a chaotic attractor — a set of possible storm states within which the hurricane can evolve unpredictably. — Chanh Kieu, Washington Post, 2 Oct. 2026 Wildlife with domoic acid poisoning can act unpredictably, the center said. — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 27 Sep. 2026 If China agrees to participate, that would create an open line for either side to send alerts when their country’s AI systems pose threats or behave unpredictably. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 23 Sep. 2026 Norms do shift, sometimes unpredictably, as people watch one another live. — Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026 The prospect of Helen Mirren playing the legendary author Patricia Highsmith at her most unpredictably misanthropic should be enough of a selling point for A Talent for Murder. — Joe Reid, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unpredictably

Adverb

The administration has also intermittently pressured Ukraine to cave in its war of survival against Russian aggression.

— Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2026
Both robots had equal-power motors, with one providing steady, continuous motion in the rigid legs and the other intermittently storing energy and releasing it in snaps.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of intermittently

Adverb

Using the history of gay male desire in different time periods — dangerous, clandestine, outlawed and at long last fitfully accepted — the film examines legacy and what gets handed down across time.

— Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
The latest, directed by Julio Quintana, stars Zachary Levi and is fitfully diverting, draped with calming New Mexico scenery.

— Michael Phillips, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of fitfully

Adverb

The advisory warns that violating Saudi laws, even unintentionally, can carry serious consequences.

— Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
As for the crack, well, that happened by accident when heavy equipment punched through a concrete wall and unintentionally punctured the sphere, company officials told The Mountaineer.

— Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of unintentionally

Adverb

There’s also evidence that some mimicry happens unconsciously.

— Alesandra Dubin, Glamour, 17 Sep. 2026
In contrast to things neurotypical people do unconsciously, like twisting a strand of hair, autistic people’s stims can be dramatic, such as pacing or rocking.

— Beth Hawkins, Denver Post, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of unconsciously

Adverb

This leads to River commandeering a woman’s car and inadvertently gaining a partner in her dog Monty, who doesn’t figure into the action but is most assuredly a Very Good Boy.

— Scott Tobias, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026
Executives who remain tethered to routine reporting or data validation could inadvertently create an organizational bottleneck.

— Alexandra J. Zanela, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of inadvertently

Adverb

Diggory and Polly are transported to Narnia from London after accidentally misusing magic rings owned by Diggory’s Uncle Andrew, played by Daniel Craig.

— Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2026
At the time, Affleck allowed Samuel, then 10, to sit in the driver's seat of a bright yellow Lamborghini SUV before the boy accidentally put the car into reverse and backed into a white BMW.

— Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of accidentally

Adverb

And, fortuitously for would-be sponsors, something happened in tennis that made these arrangements even more appealing.

— Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
The earnings announcement was fortuitously timed, coming just as reports were surfacing of high-level OpenAI employees joining the company.

— Jordan Novet, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of fortuitously

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unpredictable

unpredictably

unprejudiced

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“Unpredictably.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unpredictably. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of unpredictably

adverb

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