over·es·ti·mate
ˌō-vər-ˈe-stə-ˌmāt 
overestimated; overestimating
: to estimate or value (someone or something) too highly
… the senator had been so responsible about his potential tax liabilities that he had substantially overestimated what he owed the government.—
David Burnham
David Burnham… our habit of overestimating our knowledge and underestimating our ignorance …—David A. Shaywitz
David A. ShaywitzThe emotional power of this reunion can't be overestimated.—Joe Klein
Joe Klein"I mean that I am afraid I overestimated him. I don't think that he is a painter of the first rank."—Henry James
Henry James
over·es·ti·mate
ˌō-vər-ˈe-stə-mət
plural overestimates
: an estimate that is too high
overestimates of the company's future profits
Diamond still attacks the growth projections that the utilities have put forward, arguing that the … figures were overestimates …—Norman Boucher
Norman BoucherSynonyms
Examples of overestimate in a Sentence
Verb
the contractors overestimated their ability to do the work on such short notice
Recent Examples on the WebTyler Spence, The Indianapolis Star, 21 June 2024
The current guidelines are based on equations developed in 2013 that were widely criticized as overestimating risk.
—Elaine Chen, STAT, 11 June 2024
Katie Wiseman, The Indianapolis Star, 13 Apr. 2024
Neither measure is wholly accurate—one is likely an underestimate, the other an overestimate—but the comparison shows that Russia’s economy is nowhere near as small as the conventional wisdom holds.
—Michael Kofman, Foreign Affairs, 19 Oct. 2021
See all Example Sentences for overestimate 
Verb
Many students overestimated the price of grocery items but underestimated the cost of more expensive goods like laptops.
—Tyler Spence, The Indianapolis Star, 21 June 2024
The current guidelines are based on equations developed in 2013 that were widely criticized as overestimating risk.
—Elaine Chen, STAT, 11 June 2024
Noun
While the smaller-than-expected crowds enabled the city to escape snarled traffic, the overestimates also kept some Bloomington residents from leaving their homes and attending the local events, including those at Switchyard Park and Memorial Stadium.
—Katie Wiseman, The Indianapolis Star, 13 Apr. 2024
Neither measure is wholly accurate—one is likely an underestimate, the other an overestimate—but the comparison shows that Russia’s economy is nowhere near as small as the conventional wisdom holds.
—Michael Kofman, Foreign Affairs, 19 Oct. 2021
See all Example Sentences for overestimate
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overestimate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near overestimate
Cite this Entry
“Overestimate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overestimate. Accessed 3 Jul. 2024.
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