miscalculate

verb

mis·​cal·​cu·​late ˌmis-ˈkal-kyə-ˌlāt 

miscalculated; miscalculating

transitive + intransitive

: to calculate wrongly : to make a miscalculation

This fall, publishers badly miscalculated the public's appetite for celebrity tell-alls.

—Patrick M. Reilly

… the bosses simply weren't ready when it turned out they had miscalculated badly.

—Kevin Drum

Synonyms

• misconceive
• misdeem
• misestimate
• misgauge
• misjudge
• mismeasure
• mistake

Examples of miscalculate in a Sentence

they miscalculated how difficult the mountainous trek would be

Recent Examples on the Web

Democratic strategist Doug Gordon told Newsweek this week that perhaps the richest man in the world had miscalculated his popularity and influence with voters—even among the GOP faithful. —Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025

These errors often occur when airlines miscalculate currency conversions, leave off fuel surcharges, or input incorrect pricing. —Bailey Berg, AFAR Media, 19 Mar. 2025

Starbucks may’ve miscalculated with its mandatory-note policy. —Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 7 Feb. 2025

The Prime release should play great at any scale while its stars are crossed at one another, but miscalculates their chemistry in a gratuitous and slightly icky epilogue. —Peter Debruge, Variety, 29 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1633, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for miscalculate

• abbreviate
• accelerate
• accommodate
• accumulate
• acuminate
• adjudicate
• adulterate
• affiliate
• agglomerate
• agglutinate
• alleviate
• amalgamate

Kids Definition

miscalculate

verb

mis·​cal·​cu·​late

(ˈ)mis-ˈkal-kyə-ˌlāt

: to calculate wrongly : make a mistake in calculation

miscalculation

ˌmis-ˌkal-kyə-ˈlā-shən

noun