predictive
adjective
pre·dic·tive
pri-ˈdik-tiv 
1
: of, relating to, or usable or valuable for prediction
predictive medical factors
2
: based on or generated by using methods of prediction
predictive models
predictive text
Usually predictive policing refers to feeding reams of city data into a computer and dispatching extra officers to areas that are deemed to be at high risk of future crime.—
Leon Neyfakh
Leon Neyfakh
predictively
adverb
Like an astrological chart, it can be made to fit any case, and it works better retrospectively than predictively.
—Carol Tavris
Carol Tavris
Synonyms of predictive
Examples of predictive in a Sentence
unfortunately, the stock market crash of 1929 turned out to be a predictive event, for the next decade was consumed by the Great Depression
Recent Examples on the Web
Instead, some hospitals are turning toward predictive models to help doctors weigh patients’ risk of bleeding versus their risk of stroke.
—David Cox, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026
Walters and his crew were armed with a predictive algorithm developed by a math whiz whose day job was developing nuclear-submarine tech.
—Dan Piepenbring, New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2026
While recent years have shown some splits, the data indicate that DGA recognition in documentary is informative, not predictive, leaving the category among the most erratic on the Oscar ballot.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 4 Feb. 2026
More and more, retailers are using predictive analytics to forecast demand, reduce out-of-stocks and manage complex compliance rules.
—Aisha Alves, Rolling Stone, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for predictive
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David Cox, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026
Walters and his crew were armed with a predictive algorithm developed by a math whiz whose day job was developing nuclear-submarine tech.
—Dan Piepenbring, New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2026
While recent years have shown some splits, the data indicate that DGA recognition in documentary is informative, not predictive, leaving the category among the most erratic on the Oscar ballot.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 4 Feb. 2026
More and more, retailers are using predictive analytics to forecast demand, reduce out-of-stocks and manage complex compliance rules.
—Aisha Alves, Rolling Stone, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for predictive
Cite this Entry
“Predictive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/predictive. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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