calculate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to determine or ascertain by mathematical methods; compute.
to calculate the velocity of light.
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to determine by reasoning, common sense, or practical experience; estimate; evaluate; gauge.
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to make suitable or fit for a purpose; adapt (usually used passively and with an infinitive).
His remarks were calculated to inspire our confidence.
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Chiefly Northern U.S.
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to think; guess.
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to intend; plan.
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verb (used without object)
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to make a computation or form an estimate.
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to count or rely (usually followed by on orupon ).
They calculated on good weather.
verb
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to solve (one or more problems) by a mathematical procedure; compute
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(tr; may take a clause as object) to determine beforehand by judgment, reasoning, etc; estimate
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(tr; usually passive) to design specifically; aim
the car was calculated to appeal to women
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(intr; foll by on or upon) to depend; rely
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dialect (tr; may take a clause as object)
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to suppose; think
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to intend (to do something)
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Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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calculatesimple
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calculatessimple
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have calculatedperfect
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has calculatedperfect
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am calculatingprogressive
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are calculatingprogressive
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is calculatingprogressive
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have been calculatingperfect progressive
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has been calculatingperfect progressive
Past
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calculatedsimple
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had calculatedperfect
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was calculatingprogressive
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were calculatingprogressive
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had been calculatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of calculate
First recorded in 1560–70; from Late Latin calculātus “reckoned,” past participle of calculāre “to reckon,” derivative of calculus “pebble”; see calculus
Explanation
To calculate is to compute, by figuring out a mathematical equation or a situation. You can calculate your monthly student loan payments, or calculate the risk of not paying them on time. Calculate derives from the Latin word for "count." When you calculate, you either count something up or calculate on something happening. You might be able to calculate the answer to a simple equation in your head but need a calculator to figure out a more complex problem. And when someone is calculating, they are scheming or conniving, always figuring out the fastest way to get ahead.
Vocabulary lists containing calculate
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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Pi Day Vocabulary
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"The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry
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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.
See Examples For:
The chart from Barclays shows a far fewer number of individual companies beating the S&P 500 over the last 12 months, which they calculate at 37%.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026
Its economists calculate that the initial rise in prices spurred a decline in demand of 5.8 million barrels a day, while increased production from the U.S.,
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
By comparing that intrinsic brightness with how bright the stars appear from Earth, researchers can accurately calculate their distance.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 5, 2026
It means that lenders will no longer need to calculate or pay compensation to people owed money under its scheme, until the legal process concludes.
From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026
Mama squints, like she’s trying to calculate a big number in her head.
From "Amina's Song" by Hena Khan
He created a Pythagorean expectation formula, which Morey had once adapted for basketball, and calculates how often a team should have won based on how much it has scored and allowed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
Former Bank of England independent economist Jonathan Haskel calculates a £29bn or 1.3% reduction in the size of the economy from lower investment than would have been expected since 2016.
From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2026
Adjust his analysis for the current SpaceX market price and conservatively assume a provision for taxes, and Barron’s calculates a net asset value of $185 to $190 per share.
From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026
The hospital association calculates that SEIU-UHW has spent nearly $125 million on local and statewide initiatives since 2012.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026
My stupid brain calculates Elizabeth’s life without my ever giving permission.
From "The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl" by Stacy McAnulty
Madison Cercy, a spokesperson for Paxton’s Senate campaign, did not respond to a question about how Paxton calculated his win rate, but said in a statement that his “results speak for themselves.”
From Salon ● Jul. 15, 2026
Neither of those figures was calculated using generally accepted accounting principles.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
KFF calculated the median increase across 77 publicly available ACA rate filings for 2027: 14%.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
But its soaring atriums decorated with onyx and green marble could hardly be better calculated to induce jealousy in Trump, who frequently raves about the opulent dwellings of other foreign leaders.
From Barron's ● Jul. 7, 2026
Now and again we passed a leiter-wagon—the ordinary peasant’s cart—with its long, snake-like vertebra, calculated to suit the inequalities of the road.
From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker
Higher inflation means that those future earnings must be discounted to a much greater extent when calculating their present value.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 29, 2026
Meanwhile, under a new formula for calculating the Sovereign Grant, the Royal Household will receive £99.9m a year from 2027-2028.
From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026
“However you can get out of LAX the fastest and the cheapest is how everybody’s calculating in my circle of bartenders and magicians” said Joshua Lucas, a passenger who was recently arriving at LAX.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026
By calculating similarity matrices for these elements across chromosomes and examining how they cluster at different similarity thresholds, the researchers generated what they call a "serial similarity matrix."
From Science Daily ● Jun. 19, 2026
If Tracy—Mom—hadn’t been there, I probably would have fought with Nadia, who was quite obviously calculating some unspoken communication about Julia and me maintaining our physical and emotional distance from each other.
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.
