underestimate

verb

un·​der·​es·​ti·​mate ˌən-dər-ˈe-stə-ˌmāt How to pronounce underestimate (audio)
underestimated; underestimating; underestimates

transitive verb

1
: to estimate as being less than the actual size, quantity, or number
2
: to place too low a value on : underrate
underestimate noun
underestimation noun

Examples of underestimate in a Sentence

The city underestimated the cost of the new building. The number of people in the crowd was underestimated by 5,000. Never underestimate the importance of a good education. Her talent has always been underestimated.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For Tang, the risks of this technology may lie not in underestimating what these devices can do, but rather in overestimating their abilities. Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 5 Nov. 2024 Read more: How to Sleep When You’re Riddled With Election Anxiety Declutter your home screens Do not underestimate the toll that digital disorganization can have on your life. Shira Gill, TIME, 5 Nov. 2024 Similar issues in subsequent years, such as the overestimating of support for President Joe Biden over Trump in the 2020 election race, and underestimating the scale of the Democratic vote in some key 2022 midterm races, have kept the issue alive. Amanda Castro, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024 That means polls might be underestimating Trump’s popularity in the 2024 election. Stephen Pastis, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for underestimate 

Word History

First Known Use

1792, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of underestimate was in 1792

Dictionary Entries Near underestimate

Cite this Entry

“Underestimate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underestimate. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

underestimate

verb
un·​der·​es·​ti·​mate ˌən-də-ˈres-tə-ˌmāt How to pronounce underestimate (audio)
1
: to estimate as being less than the actual size, quantity, or number
underestimate the cost of a new building
2
: to place too low a value on : underrate
underestimate an opponent
underestimate noun
underestimation noun

More from Merriam-Webster on underestimate

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