# unpredictably

**Pronunciation:** /ˌʌnprɪˈdɪktəbli/ · un-pri-DIK-tuh-blee

**CEFR level:** B2

**Part of speech:** adverb

## Meaning

In a way that cannot be foreseen or known in advance; erratically or inconsistently.

## Examples

- The stock market reacted unpredictably to the news, with shares rising and falling sharply.
- Her mood swings made her behavior unpredictably difficult to manage at times.
- The computer program crashed unpredictably, making it hard to find the cause of the error.

## Synonyms

- erratically — Suggests a lack of consistency or a wandering course.
- capriciously — Emphasizes sudden, impulsive changes without apparent reason.
- fickly — Highlights changeability, especially in loyalty or affection.
- volatily — Implies rapid, often extreme, and potentially dangerous changes.

## Antonyms

- predictably — In a way that can be expected or foreseen.
- consistently — In a way that is always the same or reliable.
- reliably — In a trustworthy and consistent manner.

## Common patterns

- behave unpredictably — To act in a way that is not expected. — The child tends to behave unpredictably when tired.
- change unpredictably — To alter in a way that cannot be foretold. — The weather can change unpredictably in the mountains.
- unpredictably high/low — To be unexpectedly at an extreme level. — The temperature was unpredictably high for this time of year.

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