underestimate
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
noun
verb
-
to make too low an estimate of
he underestimated the cost
-
to think insufficiently highly of
to underestimate a person
noun
Usage
Underestimate is sometimes wrongly used where overestimate is meant: the importance of his work cannot be overestimated (not cannot be underestimated )
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
underestimatesimple
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underestimatessimple
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have underestimatedperfect
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has underestimatedperfect
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am underestimatingprogressive
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are underestimatingprogressive
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is underestimatingprogressive
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have been underestimatingperfect progressive
-
has been underestimatingperfect progressive
Past
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underestimatedsimple
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had underestimatedperfect
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was underestimatingprogressive
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were underestimatingprogressive
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had been underestimatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of underestimate
Explanation
To underestimate is to guess that something is worth less or is smaller than it really is. You might underestimate the size of a one-pound hamburger until you realize it's too big to fit in your stomach. When you "estimate" you take a guess at something, and when you underestimate, your guess falls short or below. If you underestimate how much something costs, you might show up at a store without enough money, and if you underestimate the strength of an opponent who is small, you might find yourself on the ground wondering what hit you. Often when we "assume" something, we make a guess based on how things appear — that's one way to underestimate.
Vocabulary lists containing underestimate
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When Stars Are Scattered
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Out of My Mind
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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:
"These apps tend to underestimate calories, especially from fats, so what they actually ate is likely higher than what the app shows."
From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026
Romero has her own advice — never underestimate the power of the vote.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
They concluded that “the consensus view of $178 appears to underestimate peak EPS relative to our forecasted distribution of outcomes.”
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 16, 2026
The French health ministry said the figure was likely an "underestimate" and mortality would "therefore be higher than these initial figures".
From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2026
“Okay, but don’t underestimate bougie rage. That’s on another level.”
From "Pride" by Ibi Zoboi
That there are really only two options for communication vastly underestimates dogs’ communicative potential.
From Slate ● Jun. 20, 2026
“We believe the Street still underestimates the sustainability of margin recovery,” Tarlowe writes, adding $3 to his price target, to $245, and reiterating a Buy rating.
From Barron's ● May 18, 2026
Everyone underestimates Ashley’s intelligence and Austin’s willingness to sell out justice to ensure they’ll get ahead.
From Salon ● Apr. 23, 2026
In younger adults, focusing on short-term risk often underestimates the probability that they can get sick later in life.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 19, 2026
Arguably, Mauer underestimates the scope of the challenge by focusing narrowly on the prison system, rather than counting all of the people employed in the criminal justice bureaucracy.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
Along with the sustainable growth and “operational excellence,” Nelson looks for companies for which it appears growth rates are being underestimated.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
The apps also underestimated fat by approximately 30 grams.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026
Yet today she seems perhaps a little underestimated.
From Slate ● Jul. 21, 2026
“Legally Blonde” sets up Elle to be underestimated by everybody, including the audience.
From Salon ● Jul. 6, 2026
I’m afraid that I may have underestimated him at first and thought him some kind of discount superintendent.
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
That’s even as investors may be underestimating the potential of recently inked customer agreements, because of the way these deals were structured in the past.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026
Harrison admitted to underestimating the backlash from fans but defended the trade, initially saying he had “no regrets.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026
Earnings are the principal driver behind the breathtaking rallies achieved by Korean and Taiwanese benchmark indices in 2026, and Goldman Sachs thinks the market is still underestimating the longevity of the chip cycle.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 3, 2026
"I'm glad he's underestimating me," Prenga said, insisting he will show Joshua no respect when the opening bell rings.
From BBC ● Jun. 1, 2026
I wanted to show her that underestimating me was a mistake.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
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.
