underestimate Hear it!

underestimate Definition

under·es·ti·mate (un′dər es′tə māt′; for n., -mit)

transitive verb -·mat′ed, -·mat′·ing

to set too low an estimate on or for

noun

an estimate that is too low

underestimate Related Forms
un′der·es′·ti·ma′·tion noun
underestimate Synonyms

underestimate

v.

miscalculate, miscarry, come short of, undervalue, disesteem, depreciate, underrate, disparage, do scant justice to, misprize, slight, minimize, think too little of, hold too lightly, make light of, deprecate, put down*, set at naught.

Antonyms exaggerate*, overestimate*, overpraise.

underestimate Usage Examples

Object

  • seriousness: MULDER: Sir... SKINNER: Don't underestimate the seriousness of this matter, Agent Mulder.
  • importance: Never underestimate the importance of having a strong logo.
  • extent: First, it has led people to underestimate the extent of regional divergence during the 1980s.
  • prevalence: PTI figures are therefore likely to underestimate the true Scottish prevalence of some conditions.
  • ingenuity: Last month it congratulated itself on observing no activity among Global Warming scaremongers during the big freeze, thereby grossly underestimating human ingenuity.
  • severity: Often the medical history alone underestimates the severity of coronary heart disease.

Used with why or when

  • what: Bridget does not underestimate what she has taken on.
  • when: I think previously a language degree was underestimated when compared to more traditional paths like law or medicine.

Adjective modifier

  • don't: Donât underestimate the demands of a major digitisation project.
  • gross: A straight line extension of the curve can lead to a gross underestimate.
  • serious: However, Ravnskov believes this could be a serious underestimate.
  • considerable: VIC submissions are likely to be a considerable underestimate of the true level of BPP in the population.
  • significant: Visual censuses unless undertaken in entirely open country are notorious for producing significant underestimates of the true population number.

Modifying Another Word

  • grossly: Many people warned that Peto's previous work grossly underestimated the extent of the risk from asbestos.
  • seriously: Loan amounts seriously underestimated the real cost of furnishing a home.
  • vastly: The problem is many couples vastly underestimate just how much weddings cost.
  • drastically: I think we all drastically underestimate the effect divorce has on children.
  • systematically: Consequently, as is now well understood, growth accounting systematically underestimates the contribution of innovation to economic growth.
  • massively: Very few people fully understand their motoring costs and so massively underestimate them.

Noun used with modifier

  • cannot: One cannot underestimate the importance of the work of " the men of Deer.