calculated

adjective

cal·​cu·​lat·​ed ˈkal-kyə-ˌlā-təd How to pronounce calculated (audio)
1
: apt, likely
2
a
: worked out by mathematical calculation
b
: engaged in, undertaken, or displayed after reckoning or estimating the statistical probability of success or failure
a calculated risk
3
a
: planned or contrived to accomplish a purpose
b
: deliberate, intended
a calculated attempt to deceive voters
calculatedly adverb
calculatedness noun

Examples of calculated in a Sentence

took a calculated risk and got in on the ground floor of the new enterprise
Recent Examples on the Web Leaders should provide guidance and mentorship while giving them the space to experiment and take calculated risks. Nell Derick Debevoise, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023 His calculated gaslighting of so many people struck me as representational of the oil industry as well. Sean Woods, Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2023 However, while purchases may pull at the heartstrings of their new owners, many buyers will also be making their offers with a calculated financial bet in mind. Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2023 Chilling dashcam video reveals the calculated way Hamas militants shot survivors at point-blank range. Emmanuelle Saliba, ABC News, 12 Oct. 2023 Now, startups are making a calculated pitch in this flush moment: Why don’t these fans get in on the action, and quite literally invest in their favorite songs? WIRED, 26 Sep. 2023 But the findings of the latest CBS News/YouGov poll also suggest that the president and his party took a variety of calculated risks in Biden’s first two years in office that ... Noah Rothman, National Review, 18 Sep. 2023 Alabama’s defiance – now and forever – has been a calculated political choice, which is way worse. John Archibald | Jarchibald@al.com, al, 8 Sep. 2023 His persona, certainly, is a calculated fiction, devised to prey on the vulnerabilities of people in search of intimacy and dependent on digital services to find it. Joel Khalili, WIRED, 7 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'calculated.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1723, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of calculated was in 1723

Dictionary Entries Near calculated

Cite this Entry

“Calculated.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/calculated. Accessed 9 Dec. 2023.

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