UNDERESTIMATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does underestimate mean? 

• UNDERESTIMATE (noun)
  The noun UNDERESTIMATE has 1 sense:

1. an estimation that is too low; an estimate that is less than the true or actual value

  Familiarity information: UNDERESTIMATE used as a noun is very rare.

• UNDERESTIMATE (verb)
  The verb UNDERESTIMATE has 3 senses:

1. assign too low a value to

2. make a deliberately low estimate

3. make too low an estimate of

  Familiarity information: UNDERESTIMATE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• UNDERESTIMATE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An estimation that is too low; an estimate that is less than the true or actual value

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

underestimate; underestimation; underrating; underreckoning

Hypernyms ("underestimate" is a kind of...):

approximation; estimate; estimation; idea (an approximate calculation of quantity or degree or worth)

Derivation:

underestimate (make a deliberately low estimate)

underestimate (assign too low a value to)

• UNDERESTIMATE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they underestimate    ... he / she / it underestimates   
Past simple: underestimated   
Past participle: underestimated   
-ing form: underestimating   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Assign too low a value to

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

underestimate; undervalue

Context example:

Don't underestimate the value of this heirloom-you may sell it at a good price

Hypernyms (to "underestimate" is one way to...):

value (fix or determine the value of; assign a value to)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Antonym:

overestimate (assign too high a value to)

Derivation:

underestimate; underestimation (an estimation that is too low; an estimate that is less than the true or actual value)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make a deliberately low estimate

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

lowball; underestimate

Context example:

The construction company wanted the contract badly and lowballed

Hypernyms (to "underestimate" is one way to...):

approximate; estimate; gauge; guess; judge (judge tentatively or form an estimate of (quantities or time))

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

underestimate; underestimation (an estimation that is too low; an estimate that is less than the true or actual value)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Make too low an estimate of

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

underestimate; underrate

Context example:

Don't underestimate the danger of such a raft trip on this river

Hypernyms (to "underestimate" is one way to...):

misjudge (judge incorrectly)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "underestimate"):

sell short (underestimate the real value or ability of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Antonym:

overestimate (make too high an estimate of)

Derivation:

underestimation (an estimation that is too low; an estimate that is less than the true or actual value)

 Context examples 

A new study suggests that most global climate models may underestimate the amount of rain that will fall in Earth’s tropical regions as our planet continues to warm.

(NASA Data Suggest Future May Be Rainier Than Expected, NASA)

To the logician all things should be seen exactly as they are, and to underestimate one’s self is as much a departure from truth as to exaggerate one’s own powers.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The team found that most of the climate models underestimated the rate of increase in precipitation for each degree of surface warming that has occurred in recent decades.

(NASA Data Suggest Future May Be Rainier Than Expected, NASA)

That's because these models underestimate decreases in high clouds over the tropics seen in recent NASA observations.

(NASA Data Suggest Future May Be Rainier Than Expected, NASA)