as in volatile
likely to change frequently, suddenly, or unexpectedly
unpredictable spring weather that makes it really hard to know what to wear
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unpredictable
The horses react in unpredictable ways, and that can lead to foals being separated from their mothers, the fund says.
—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
2 July 2026
The weather is unpredictable, the locals are impossibly cool, and each country has its own unique aesthetic.
—
Kelsey Stiegman,
Glamour,
2 July 2026
This year’s race contains the third-most vertical metres of any of the last 20 editions but a lot of that climbing is spread across medium-mountain stages, which should — hopefully — make the race more unpredictable.
—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
1 July 2026
Although the timing of when quakes will strike is notoriously unpredictable, Venezuela has long been known to be vulnerable.
—
Mery Mogollón,
Los Angeles Times,
27 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unpredictable
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
2 July 2026
The weather is unpredictable, the locals are impossibly cool, and each country has its own unique aesthetic.
—
Kelsey Stiegman,
Glamour,
2 July 2026
This year’s race contains the third-most vertical metres of any of the last 20 editions but a lot of that climbing is spread across medium-mountain stages, which should — hopefully — make the race more unpredictable.
—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
1 July 2026
Although the timing of when quakes will strike is notoriously unpredictable, Venezuela has long been known to be vulnerable.
—
Mery Mogollón,
Los Angeles Times,
27 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unpredictable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unpredictable
Adjective
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Related Stories Set in 1948 Malaya in the volatile years that followed the end of World War II, the film traces a Malay soldier and a British soldier who are left behind after the British military withdraws.
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While the rally continued into early 2026, trade soon turned volatile.
Adjective
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Rigorous, blustery winter; winding sleety spring; hot, moist enervating summer; changeful autumn with its dog-days; these are absolutely unknown.
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Hers is the kind of face that inspires directors to tight framing — gleaming, as if smoothed from marble, and yet somehow pliant, changeful.
Adjective
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The conservation team will secure unstable paint before cleaning the works with fiber lasers.
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Most of the people with the dragons are either unstable or idiots, or both.
Cite this Entry
“Unpredictable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unpredictable. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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