- present participle of calculate.
calculating
Americanadjective
-
capable of or made for performing calculations, especially arithmetical calculations.
a calculating machine.
-
a wise and calculating lawyer.
-
selfishly scheming.
a cold and calculating dictator.
- Synonyms:
- designing
adjective
-
selfishly scheming
-
shrewd; cautious
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of calculating
First recorded in 1800–10; calculat(e) + -ing 2
Explanation
Someone who's calculating is scheming to get exactly what they want, no matter the cost to other people. A movie's calculating villain might be determined to steal his innocent victim's money. The adjective calculating originally meant simply "doing calculations," or in other words, doing math. It quickly took on a figurative meaning that's become its main definition, used for anyone who directs their intelligence and know-how toward ruthlessly getting the best of other people. Your brother's calculating smile is a sure sign he's up to no good.
Vocabulary lists containing calculating
The House of the Scorpion
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Novel Study: Of Mice and Men, Chapters 1–3
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Mississippi Trial, 1955
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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.
The company said it disagreed with the city’s method for calculating on-call time but would comply with it to avoid further legal battles with the city.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
For companies that still operate old-fashioned pension plans, higher yields mean higher discount rates, which are key to calculating the present value of their liabilities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
Tall, gaunt and calculating, Wagoner’s angles had angles, but somehow standing next to her, his pompadour dwarfing her considerable bouffant, it worked.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026
Let me give you the number you should be calculating instead.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026
Where my grandfather was big and boisterous, my grandmother was calm, calculating, with a mind as sharp as anything.
From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah
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.
