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.
That could allow scientists to investigate quantum systems whose behavior cannot yet be calculated precisely, potentially including problems too difficult for classical computers.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 1, 2026
That share for munitions is set to roughly double to an average of 14% between 2028 and 2031, Harrison calculated.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
The historical averages are calculated over a 30-year period from 1991-2020, which matches the standard period used by the UN’s World Meteorological Organization.
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026
Yet, Pattinson is so exaggerated, so commedia dell’awful, that if the real Chris Hansen doesn’t sue, it’ll be because he’s calculated that no one would seriously believe this is him.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026
We calculated that if we earned eight annas each day and contrived to live on four, we could save the money we needed to return in forty days.
From "Nectar in a Sieve" by Kamala Markandaya
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.
