overestimate

[ verb oh-ver-es-tuh-meyt; noun oh-ver-es-tuh-mit ]

/ verb ˌoʊ vərˈɛs təˌmeɪt; noun ˈoʊ vərˈɛs tə mɪt /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR overestimate ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), o·ver·es·ti·mat·ed, o·ver·es·ti·mat·ing.

to estimate at too high a value, amount, rate, or the like: Don't overestimate the car's trade-in value.

to hold in too great esteem or to expect too much from: Don't overestimate him—he's no smarter than you are.

noun

an estimate that is too high.

Words related to overestimate

widen, magnify, augment, bloat, escalate, exaggerate, enlarge, pad, boost, expand, maximize, enhance, inflate, aggravate, overstate, overrate, misread, misinterpret, err, undervalue

Words nearby overestimate

overegg, overelaborate, overemphasis, overemphasize, overenthusiastic, overestimate, overexcite, overexcited, overexert, overexpansion, overexpose

Origin of overestimate

First recorded in 1815–25; over- + estimate

OTHER WORDS FROM overestimate

o·ver·es·ti·ma·tion, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for overestimate

People also have a tendency to overestimate how moral they have been.
It’s Official: Religion Doesn’t Make You More Moral|Elizabeth Picciuto|September 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Say that survey findings are a 1% overestimate of the true incidence.
Guns Don't Make You Safer, Ctd.|David Frum|December 12, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Both men and women overestimate inflation, but women tend to overestimate it much more.
Women Notice Inflation More than Men|Megan McArdle|November 16, 2012|DAILY BEAST
On the whole they were pessimistic, and tended to overestimate how high taxes were.
Tea Partiers Still Out to Lunch|Noah Kristula-Green|March 7, 2012|DAILY BEAST

It's hard to overestimate Olbermann's importance to MSNBC since his second stint with the network began in 2003.
Olbermann Should Apologize|Howard Kurtz|November 5, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Be it considered, also, that men often overestimate their capacity for evil.
Fancy's Show-Box (From "Twice Told Tales")|Nathaniel Hawthorne
It is easy to overestimate both; and both have been over-estimated.
A History of Nineteenth Century Literature (1780-1895)|George Saintsbury
We cannot overestimate the harm of Sol´o-mon's influence in this direction.
Outline Studies in the Old Testament for Bible Teachers|Jesse Lyman Hurlbut
You do not overestimate her, Mrs. Manning, and I am glad you like her.
In the Van; or, The Builders|John Price-Brown
We cannot overestimate the importance of a thorough familiarity with the Bible.
Pleasure & Profit in Bible Study|Dwight Moody

British Dictionary definitions for overestimate

overestimate

verb (ˌəʊvərˈɛstɪˌmeɪt)

(tr) to value or estimate too highly

noun (ˌəʊvərˈɛstɪmɪt)

an estimate that is too high

Derived forms of overestimate

overestimation, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012