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.
Now, as AI agents become more widely adopted, it remains a matter of debate whether the technology’s ROI can be clearly calculated.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
Veterans said they want more clarity about the debt and how it has been calculated.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
To estimate UPF consumption, the researchers analyzed two 24-hour dietary recalls from each participant and calculated the share of daily calories that came from ultra-processed foods.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 27, 2026
The P/E ratios compare with weighted valuations of 19.9 for the S&P 500 and 16 for the S&P MidCap 400, as calculated by FactSet.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 26, 2026
The robot’s computer brain retrieved information on the history of whaling, and she calculated the shark’s age to be over five hundred years.
From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown
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.
