predictive

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'predictive' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you are referring to the ability to predict something based on existing data or patterns. For example: "The predictive analytics model accurately predicted the company's quarterly revenue."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Mr Proebsting says he believes it is just a matter of time before Microsoft starts using predictive markets to predict external as well as internal events.

The Economist

"Dreams are predictive in my opinion," she says, adding that "they don't really predict the future, because no one can do that.

The Guardian - Opinion

In a letter to President Obama this week, 25 economists sang the praises of Yellen's predictive powers: While president of the San Francisco Fed, she warned as early as 2005 about the housing bubble.

The Guardian - Opinion

You have to win the contested possession, of course, but there also seems to exist in Hawthorn's players an innate awareness and anticipation of each other's' attacking movements, like a footballing version of predictive text.

The Guardian - Sport

But on the current tour we have perhaps seen a predictive death mask of what the ECB and its co-conspirators might turn the greatest summer game into given a free hand in the freest of markets.

The Guardian - Sport

On the one hand, if the lhc does turn up evidence for supersymmetry, that will be another huge validation of the predictive power of physics.

The Economist

First, past performance or views aren't necessarily predictive of future results; witness the chest thumping among doves familiar with Mr Bernanke's old academic work.

The Economist

Mr Stein identifies the share of high-yield bonds in corporate bond issuance as a "powerful predictive variable" for future excess-returns.

The Economist

Is the Ifo index losing its predictive power?This question is also relevant in other European countries, where similar surveys have also tended to overstate GDP growth of late.

The Economist

Giving the NSA a vast database of phone calls, and inviting them to search for correlations that might be predictive of terrorist activity, is likely to generate a massive number of false positives.It's not just the government that we need to watch here; the phone companies themselves routinely store call and location data from your phone, aggregate it, and sell it to third parties.

The Economist

For one thing, predictive intelligence can be creepy.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In technical writing, quantify the accuracy or confidence level of a "predictive" system whenever possible to avoid overstating its reliability.

Common error

Avoid using "predictive" in contexts where the outcome is highly uncertain or speculative. Instead of saying "predictive outcome", consider "potential outcome" or "possible scenario" to convey appropriate levels of uncertainty.

Linguistic Context

The word "predictive" functions primarily as an adjective, modifying nouns to indicate an ability or tendency to predict. It describes something that offers a forecast or indication of a future event or outcome, as Ludwig AI highlights.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The adjective "predictive" is widely used to describe anything relating to forecasting future outcomes. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it's grammatically correct and appears frequently in formal writing across news, business, and science. Key best practices include clearly identifying what is being predicted and quantifying accuracy when possible. Common errors involve overstating the certainty of predictions, which should be avoided. Related terms like "forecasting" and "prognostic" offer nuanced alternatives depending on the specific context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

forecasting

Focuses more on the act of making a prediction about the future.

prognostic

Often used in medical contexts to describe something that indicates the likely outcome of a disease.

indicative

Suggests that something serves as a sign or indication of something else.

prescient

Implies having foresight or knowledge of events before they occur.

anticipatory

Highlights the act of expecting or preparing for something in advance.

divinatory

Related to prediction through supernatural or intuitive means.

soothsaying

Refers to predicting the future, often through traditional or mystical practices.

prophetic

Suggests a prediction made with divine inspiration or insight.

portentous

Implies that something is a sign or warning of a significant future event, often negative.

ominous

Highlights the threatening or foreboding nature of a prediction.

FAQs

How is "predictive" used in data science?

In data science, "predictive" describes models and analytics techniques used to forecast future outcomes based on historical data. These models aim to identify patterns and relationships that can "predict" future trends or events.

What are some alternatives to "predictive"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "forecasting", "prognostic", or "indicative" to convey the idea of anticipating future events.

What is "predictive analytics"?

"Predictive analytics" involves using statistical techniques, data mining, and machine learning to analyze current and historical data to make predictions about future events. It's used in various industries for risk assessment, fraud detection, and forecasting.

How does "predictive policing" work?

"Predictive policing" uses data analysis to anticipate and prevent crime. By identifying patterns in past incidents, law enforcement agencies can allocate resources more effectively to areas where crime is likely to occur.