Word family noun prediction predictability ≠ unpredictability predictor adjective predictable ≠ unpredictable predictive verb predict adverb predictably ≠ unpredictably
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishpredictpre‧dict /prɪˈdɪkt/ ●●● W3 AWL verb [transitive] PREDICTto say that something will happen, before it happens → prediction Sales were five percent lower than predicted.predict (that) Newspapers predicted that Davis would be re-elected.predict whether/what/how etc It is difficult to predict what the long-term effects of the accident will be. As Liz had predicted, the rumours were soon forgotten.be predicted to do something Unemployment is predicted to increase to 700,000 by the end of the year.GRAMMAR: Patterns with predict• You predict that something will happen: Experts predict that the economic situation will improve.• You predicted that something would happen: Experts predicted that the economic situation would improve.• You predict that something might or could happen: No one could have predicted that she might do something like that.• You say that something is predicted to happen: The population is predicted to increase.• You say it is predicted that something will happen: It is predicted that the population will increase. • You say that someone is predicting something. Predict is often used in the progressive: They are predicting another hot summer.THESAURUSpredict to say that something will happen, before it happensIn the future, it may be possible to predict earthquakes.Scientists are trying to predict what the Amazon will look like in 20 years' time.forecast to say what is likely to happen in the future, especially in relation to the weather or the economic or political situationThey’re forecasting a hard winter.Economists forecast that there would be a recession.project to say what the amount, size, cost etc of something is likely to be in the future, using the information you have nowThe world’s population is projected to rise by 45%.can say especially spoken be able to know what will happen in the futureNo one can say what the next fifty years will bring.I can’t say exactly how much it will cost.foretell to say correctly what will happen in the future, using special religious or magical powersThe woman claimed that she had the gift of foretelling the future.It all happened as the prophet had foretold.prophesy to say that something will happen because you feel that it will, or by using special religious or magical powersHe’s one of those people who are always prophesying disast