calculated
Americanadjective
-
arrived at or determined by mathematical calculation; ascertained mathematically.
-
carefully thought out or planned.
a calculated effort.
adjective
-
undertaken after considering the likelihood of success or failure
a calculated risk
-
deliberately planned; premeditated
a calculated insult
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of calculated
Explanation
If you do something in a calculated way, you've given it quite a bit of thought beforehand, and you're very deliberate in the way you do it. Sometimes calculated can have a positive meaning, like when you plan ahead and are thoughtful about something. A good electrician takes a calculated approach to wiring a new house. On the other hand, a "calculated remark" could be one that's hurtful or manipulative and was made deliberately by the speaker to get a particular reaction or result.
Vocabulary lists containing calculated
"The Crucible" -- Vocabulary from all 4 Acts
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"The Crucible" -- Vocabulary from Act 1
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The Mark of Athena
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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.
QCDs during those pre-RMD years are quietly one of the best moves available, because every dollar you move out of your account shrinks the balance your future RMDs are calculated on.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026
In 1813, in Kentucky, the ornithologist John James Audubon calculated that 300 million birds an hour flew above him, times 24 hours, for three solid days.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
An investment Substack, Maverick Equity Research, calculated that most of the Berkshire purchases in the second quarter were done at 1.4 times book value.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 10, 2026
With Wednesday's event also calculated to be the most extensive solar eclipse for the next 54 years, it is clear why astronomers are calling it "really exciting".
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
Jefferson’s posture throughout the drawn-out counting of the electoral votes remained a combination of studied indifference and calculated obliviousness.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
