unpredictable

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'unpredictable' is a perfectly correct and usable word in written English.
It is used to refer to something that cannot be known or predicted in advance. Here is an example sentence: He has an unpredictable mood, so it is hard to know what kind of day he'll be having.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sport

Lifestyle

Travel

Business

Music

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The food market, while it shares that trait that everybody's in it, it is not a market in which your participation is often unpredictable and often involuntary".

The New York Times

His satellite tags had provided vivid new information of the remarkable distances travelled by these unpredictable predators during their brief lives.

The Guardian

Even if there were some unpredictable fluctuations in the demand for money, the resulting disturbances to nominal incomes would be much less, he believed, than would result from attempts at discretionary management by central banks.

The Guardian

But one of those surveyed, Marlon Alaniz, explained how yields fluctuate between farms even within a given year, making life even more unpredictable.

The Guardian

This is the dramatic trifecta that pivots the 2013 election upon an unpredictable new axis.

The Guardian

Somewhere in Hollywood, bewildering, unpredictable, lyrical, probably the most unsettling song about Lassie you'll ever hear.

The Guardian - Music

It's been fast, furious, entirely unpredictable and full of incident – from Sky dropping 20 seconds in the opening team time trial to Alberto Contador dislocating his shoulder in a crash on stage six.

The Guardian - Sport

He was sleepwalking into the most unpredictable defeat in history.

The Guardian - Sport

The world is facing, in Ukraine and the Middle East, the most disturbing concatenation of unpredictable events for decades, but the big issue in Scotland is whether it should leave the UK, and the main obsession of the Conservative party is the prospect of the UK's departure from the European Union – or Brexit, as it is known.

The Guardian - Business

It's desk-based with frequent deadlines and unpredictable hours.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Working long and unpredictable hours means getting home earlier is not an option.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing events or situations with unknown outcomes, use "unpredictable" to convey the uncertainty and potential for unexpected developments.

Common error

Avoid using "unpredictable" with other adjectives that already imply uncertainty, such as "random" or "erratic". This can lead to redundancy and weaken your writing.

Linguistic Context

The word "unpredictable" functions primarily as an adjective. It is used to describe nouns, indicating that the subject is not easily or possibly foreseen. Ludwig AI confirms its proper grammatical function.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Sport

12%

Lifestyle

10%

Less common in

Travel

7%

Business

5%

Music

8%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "unpredictable" functions as an adjective denoting a lack of predictability. Ludwig AI affirms its correct usage in written English. It's a common word, appearing frequently in News & Media, Sport and Lifestyle contexts, according to the analyzed examples. When writing, remember to avoid redundancy by pairing it with similar adjectives. For alternatives, "uncertain", "erratic", and "unforeseeable" can offer nuanced replacements, each highlighting a slightly different aspect of the concept.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unforeseeable

Directly indicates the impossibility of predicting or anticipating an event or outcome.

unanticipated

Highlights the unexpected nature of an event or development, catching people off guard.

uncertain

Emphasizes a lack of sureness about future outcomes, highlighting a possibility of multiple results.

erratic

Focuses on the irregularity and inconsistency of behavior or patterns, making them hard to anticipate.

volatile

Highlights the instability and potential for sudden, dramatic changes in a situation or entity.

capricious

Stresses the impulsive and whimsical nature of something, driven by sudden desires or mood swings.

incalculable

Points to the inability to determine or estimate something through calculation or assessment.

random

Suggests a lack of pattern or predictability due to chance or arbitrary selection.

chancy

Emphasizes the involvement of risk and the uncertain outcome of a situation.

unreliable

Focuses on the lack of dependability and consistency, making predictions about performance difficult.

FAQs

How can I use "unpredictable" in a sentence?

Use "unpredictable" to describe something that is impossible to know or say what will happen in the future. For example, "The weather is "unpredictable" this time of year".

What is a more formal synonym for "unpredictable"?

In formal contexts, consider using synonyms like "unforeseeable", "incalculable", or "uncertain" to convey a similar meaning with a more sophisticated tone.

What are some situations where things are often "unpredictable"?

Situations that are frequently described as "unpredictable" include weather patterns, stock market fluctuations, election outcomes, and human behavior.

What is the difference between "unpredictable" and "random"?

"Unpredictable" implies an inability to foresee an outcome, while "random" suggests a lack of pattern or purpose. Something can be "random" and therefore "unpredictable", but not everything "unpredictable" is necessarily "random".