estimate 1 of 2

estimate

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb estimate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of estimate are appraise, assess, evaluate, rate, and value. While all these words mean "to judge something with respect to its worth or significance," estimate implies a judgment, considered or casual, that precedes or takes the place of actual measuring or counting or testing out.

estimated the crowd at two hundred

Where would appraise be a reasonable alternative to estimate?

The words appraise and estimate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, appraise commonly implies the fixing by an expert of the monetary worth of a thing, but it may be used of any critical judgment.

having their house appraised

When can assess be used instead of estimate?

While the synonyms assess and estimate are close in meaning, assess implies a critical appraisal for the purpose of understanding or interpreting, or as a guide in taking action.

officials are trying to assess the damage

When might evaluate be a better fit than estimate?

While in some cases nearly identical to estimate, evaluate suggests an attempt to determine relative or intrinsic worth in terms other than monetary.

evaluate a student's work

How are the words rate and estimate related?

Rate adds to estimate the notion of placing a thing according to a scale of values.

a highly rated restaurant

How do value and appraise relate to one another, in the sense of estimate?

Value equals appraise but without implying expertness of judgment.

a watercolor valued by the donor at $500

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of estimate
Verb
The port is also set to become home to a nascent data center project with a construction value estimated at $1 billion. Arkansas Online, 9 Sep. 2025 Forbes estimates that the team is now worth around double that. Thomas Gallagher, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
According to estimates, Combs’ net worth has declined from of $1 billion to about $400 million since his legal troubles began. Gina Barton, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2025 Consumers who wish to watch every single NFL game this season will have to pay upwards of $750 to do so, according to estimates by Forbes, which noted the league’s games will air on ten different platforms during the 2025-26 season. Dominick Mastrangelo, The Hill, 7 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for estimate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for estimate
Verb
  • Asia-Pacific markets meanwhile rose overnight, as investors assessed August inflation data out of China.
    Chloe Taylor,Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Asked whether Marquette is considering expanding the unit's reach in the wake of the crash, university spokesperson Kevin Conway said its effectiveness and use is being assessed and discussed.
    Kelly Meyerhofer, jsonline.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • That asymmetry matters when calculating total cost and complexity.
    Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Advertisement Advertisement The period piece presents the sisters as calculating and strategic, yet brutal in their enforcement of control.
    Isabella Wandermurem, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • There is not yet an estimation of how much money will be paid out.
    Laura Schulte, jsonline.com, 5 Sep. 2025
  • All factor into Chelsea’s estimations as outsiders for the title.
    Jack Bantock, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The deal, brokered after a standoff between state and county officials resulting from a disagreement over whether to raise assessments this year, means homeowners will see a nearly 7% increase above their 2024 property valuation.
    Madeline King, Kansas City Star, 7 Sep. 2025
  • As large language models like OpenAI’s GPT-3 and GPT-4 exploded onto the scene, students and teaching assistants alike began questioning whether assessments ought to be handled differently.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Nikolas Kokovlis | Nurphoto | Getty Images Online lender Klarna priced its IPO at $40 per share on Tuesday, above its expected range, in a deal that values the Swedish company at about $15 billion.
    Ryan Browne, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
  • So, clearly the Patriots value his role as a blocker in the run game.
    Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Some companies are figuring it out and seeing real value.
    Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Can’t figure a reason for the backwards nature of it.
    Sam McDowell September 9, Kansas City Star, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • But for high-value artwork, jewelry and the like, appraisals matter.
    Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2025
  • An eye-catching deadline day move for Benfica midfielder Florentino Luis was not enough to change Burnley’s appraisal as favorites to go straight back down.
    Jack Bantock, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • On July 28, a judge ordered Brown to get a forensic evaluation after Brown’s public defender questioned Brown’s capacity in a motion.
    Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2025
  • These graphs not only support debugging but also inform model evaluation, versioning and agent performance monitoring.
    Gopikrishnan Anilkumar, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Estimate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/estimate. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.

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