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View synonyms for underestimate

underestimate

[ verb uhn-der-es-tuh-meyt; noun uhn-der-es-tuh-mit, -meyt ]

verb (used with object)

, un·der·es·ti·mat·ed, un·der·es·ti·mat·ing.
  1. to estimate at too low a value, rate, or the like.

    Synonyms: miscalculate, misjudge, underrate, undervalue



verb (used without object)

, un·der·es·ti·mat·ed, un·der·es·ti·mat·ing.
  1. to make an estimate lower than that which would be correct.

noun

  1. an estimate that is too low.

underestimate

/ ˌʌndərˈɛstɪˌmeɪt /

verb

  1. to make too low an estimate of

    he underestimated the cost

  2. to think insufficiently highly of

    to underestimate a person

“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


noun

  1. too low an estimate
“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
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Usage

Underestimate is sometimes wrongly used where overestimate is meant: the importance of his work cannot be overestimated (not cannot be underestimated )
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Derived Forms

  • ˌunderˌestiˈmation, noun
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Other Words From

  • under·esti·mation noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of underestimate1

First recorded in 1805–15; under- + estimate
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Example Sentences

This is also likely an underestimate of Filipino cases, since many speak English.

To read the charts below, consider the 0% line as the actual traffic, and any number over 0% as an overestimate by the tool, and anything under as an underestimate.

Instead, the country has seen at least 193,000 deaths, a figure that is probably an underestimate.

The team noticed similar underestimates in models of the 2019 heat waves in Europe.

States also vary in how and where they are performing tests, and some count only proven cases and not also presumptive ones, leading to significant underestimates of the death toll.

Democrats would be mistaken to underestimate Mike Huckabee, perhaps the strongest Republican presidential contender.

She really becomes the image of someone you might underestimate or take for granted.

I think people also underestimate how much we really do write it all in six days.

Yet such rankings vastly underestimate the power now being wielded by the San Francisco region.

These numbers, although startling, are thought to “vastly underestimate” the reality.

Lawyers always underestimate the legal knowledge of an intelligent layman.

"Do not underestimate my intelligence, I understand you," he laughed.

It would however be a serious error to underestimate the value of the earlier work in plant histology.

It is a pity that the critic is unable to contend with him on such a point without appearing to underestimate that work.

These men represented the batting strength of Place, and Ken, though he did not in the least underestimate them, had no fear.

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underendowedunderexpose