calculating
Americanadjective
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capable of or made for performing calculations, especially arithmetical calculations.
a calculating machine.
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a wise and calculating lawyer.
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selfishly scheming.
a cold and calculating dictator.
- Synonyms:
- designing
adjective
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selfishly scheming
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shrewd; cautious
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of calculating
First recorded in 1800–10; calculat(e) + -ing 2
Explanation
Someone who's calculating is scheming to get exactly what they want, no matter the cost to other people. A movie's calculating villain might be determined to steal his innocent victim's money. The adjective calculating originally meant simply "doing calculations," or in other words, doing math. It quickly took on a figurative meaning that's become its main definition, used for anyone who directs their intelligence and know-how toward ruthlessly getting the best of other people. Your brother's calculating smile is a sure sign he's up to no good.
Vocabulary lists containing calculating
The House of the Scorpion
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Novel Study: Of Mice and Men, Chapters 1–3
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Mississippi Trial, 1955
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The challenge in calculating the muon's behavior came largely from the strong force, the most powerful of the four known fundamental forces.
From Science Daily • May 19, 2026
It matters because of what it signals to every other newsroom watching — every executive calculating the cost of compliance versus resistance, every journalist wondering whether their employer will protect them.
From Salon • May 13, 2026
Under cross-examination by OpenAI attorney Sarah Eddy, Brockman sought to reframe diary entries that Musk's lawyers had used the previous day to portray him as a calculating opportunist.
From Barron's • May 5, 2026
He said Ford didn’t disregard unexpected costs such as tariffs when calculating bonuses.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026
It’s one of my quirks, like calculating distances rather than time.
From "100 Sideways Miles" by Andrew Smith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
