calculate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
calculates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
calculated,
past participle, past
-
calculating
present participle
-
to determine or ascertain by mathematical methods; compute.
to calculate the velocity of light.
-
to determine by reasoning, common sense, or practical experience; estimate; evaluate; gauge.
-
to make suitable or fit for a purpose; adapt (usually used passively and with an infinitive).
His remarks were calculated to inspire our confidence.
-
Chiefly Northern U.S.
-
to think; guess.
-
to intend; plan.
-
verb (used without object)
-
calculates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
calculated,
past participle, past
-
calculating
present participle
-
to make a computation or form an estimate.
-
to count or rely (usually followed by on orupon ).
They calculated on good weather.
verb
-
to solve (one or more problems) by a mathematical procedure; compute
-
(tr; may take a clause as object) to determine beforehand by judgment, reasoning, etc; estimate
-
(tr; usually passive) to design specifically; aim
the car was calculated to appeal to women
-
(intr; foll by on or upon) to depend; rely
-
dialect (tr; may take a clause as object)
-
to suppose; think
-
to intend (to do something)
-
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
calculatesimple
-
calculatessimple
-
have calculatedperfect
-
has calculatedperfect
-
am calculatingprogressive
-
are calculatingprogressive
-
is calculatingprogressive
-
have been calculatingperfect progressive
-
has been calculatingperfect progressive
Past
-
calculatedsimple
-
had calculatedperfect
-
was calculatingprogressive
-
were calculatingprogressive
-
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Pi Day Vocabulary
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
That will be used to calculate the readers' points total.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
Merchants have become increasingly skilled at using consumers’ personal data, including their online shopping habits and smartphone use, to calculate an individual’s tolerance for higher prices.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
They can calculate a scenario in which you take Roth conversions and fill a federal tax bracket, and compare that with a scenario in which you don’t take Roth conversions.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 15, 2026
Temperatures in the area of the ocean used to calculate El Niño were already 2.41 degrees above baseline.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
There was no way to calculate a loss of that magnitude, to enumerate that kind of pain.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
The ACA Marketplace calculates her premium based on her age, location, household size and expected household income for the entire calendar year, not necessarily her own individual income.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 22, 2026
The most expensive purchase, she calculates, were the windows at £30,000, while one of the cheapest measures was making the whole house airtight, which cost £5,000.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
Guessing future winners in AI and automotive intelligence will be tough, though, as he calculates the likelihood of success for those companies of about 1% to 5%.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026
Consider the American League, where Ablin calculates that each additional dollar spent by teams got them fewer wins.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
I wonder how she calculates her pace—with her watch or with her brain.
From "The Running Dream" by Wendelin Van Draanen
The profit is calculated by assessing the value of output and subsidies and subtracting the cost of production and finance.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
Those are calculated swings, without buying the whole store.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
The lawyer said they believe Meta calculated that figure "for shock value."
From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026
The documents included no explanation of how that number was calculated.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
The superpower conflict seemed to take a sudden, more ominous turn: a kind of calculated standoff, in which "winning" now depended on guessing correctly at the enemy's strength and intentions.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
You can test how “nicely” a function moves everything around in space by calculating something called the Jacobian determinant.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 6, 2026
What this comparison shows is that the BLS is calculating CPI in the way that it says it does.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 1, 2026
In an unusually detailed sentencing statement, judge O'Grady noted that calculating punishment parts is "with good reason" much misunderstood by victims and members of the public.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
“Aemond is such a calculating character and everything he does is premeditated. He’s so in control of himself. I found myself offering up the same take every single take.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
As soon as I thought it, I knew it was a word worth calculating.
From "Because of Mr. Terupt" by Rob Buyea
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.
