calculating

[ kal-kyuh-ley-ting ]

adjective

1. capable of or made for performing calculations, especially arithmetical calculations:

   a calculating machine.

2. shrewd; cautious:

   a wise and calculating lawyer.

3. selfishly scheming:

   a cold and calculating dictator.

   Synonyms: designing

calculating

/ ˈkælkjʊˌleɪtɪŋ /

adjective

1. selfishly scheming
2. shrewd; cautious

Derived Forms

• ˈcalcuˌlatingly, adverb

Other Words From

• calcu·lating·ly adverb
• non·calcu·lating adjective
• un·calcu·lating adjective
• un·calcu·lating·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of calculating¹

First recorded in 1800–10; calculat(e) + -ing ²

Example Sentences

Some dispute whether those gains have been as significant, and given the complexity of calculating, we won’t really know for sure what the wage picture is until later next year.

From Time

All that calculating happens within the machine, and to human eyes it would look like a long string of 0s and 1s.

From Quanta Magazine

Cressida is not really suited for that kind of calculating existence of briefing and counter-briefing.

From The Daily Beast

Critics run that tab as high as $4 billion, calculating the lost tax revenues over 40 years.

From The Daily Beast

Calculating gender differences is complicated, but the politics are simple.

From The Daily Beast

The idea that they would attempt to spin her nuanced response as politically calculating is even sillier.

From The Daily Beast

He did not take a step—do a jig—without calculating the odds.

From The Daily Beast

There is more of artfulness in the flatteries which appear to involve a calculating intention to say the nice agreeable thing.

From Project Gutenberg

He stood now with a calculating look, almost as if he were checking the verity of the report.

From Project Gutenberg

But when Richard's calculating mind came to give thought to the future he found that this occasioned him some care.

From Project Gutenberg

Usually cool and calculating, steady and active-minded, he seemed to have lost all grip upon himself.

From Project Gutenberg

Inserting these values in our general equation and calculating the result, we obtain 18.1E6 as the value of the constant.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• canny
• considerate
• devious
• manipulative
• scheming
• shrewd
• wily