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
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Nor will viewers be surprised by the secret harbored by ring-girl Kim (Tahirah Sharif), whose interest in Duke is both predictably motivated and generally chemistry-free. Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2026 Quality of earnings refers not just to how much a business earns but also to how reliably, how predictably and under what conditions those earnings are produced. Robert Indries, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 Over these six weeks, the standard of on-field refereeing was predictably unpredictable, given the wide range of views that exist in different countries on what constitutes a foul, caution or red card. Graham Scott, New York Times, 22 July 2026 Criticism from the political left was, predictably, swift and intense. Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 July 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 5 Aug. 2026.

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