underestimate
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
noun
verb
-
to make too low an estimate of
he underestimated the cost
-
to think insufficiently highly of
to underestimate a person
noun
Usage
Underestimate is sometimes wrongly used where overestimate is meant: the importance of his work cannot be overestimated (not cannot be underestimated )
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of underestimate
Explanation
To underestimate is to guess that something is worth less or is smaller than it really is. You might underestimate the size of a one-pound hamburger until you realize it's too big to fit in your stomach. When you "estimate" you take a guess at something, and when you underestimate, your guess falls short or below. If you underestimate how much something costs, you might show up at a store without enough money, and if you underestimate the strength of an opponent who is small, you might find yourself on the ground wondering what hit you. Often when we "assume" something, we make a guess based on how things appear — that's one way to underestimate.
Vocabulary lists containing underestimate
NAEP Test Words
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When Stars Are Scattered
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Out of My Mind
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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.
Underestimate it and you could run short of money.
From Seattle Times • Jun. 12, 2023
She is saying: Underestimate me at your peril.
From Washington Post • Feb. 18, 2023
Glenn Close would be the first to tell you: Underestimate Colman at your peril.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 2, 2023
Underestimate “Dickinson,” just like her contemporaries did, at your peril.
From Salon • Oct. 31, 2019
"I think you underestimate Pike's influence—" "Underestimate the devil!" shouted Mr. Sheehan, uncontrollably excited.
From The Conquest of Canaan by Tarkington, Booth
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.
