calculate

verb

cal·​cu·​late ˈkal-kyə-ˌlāt How to pronounce calculate (audio)
calculated; calculating

transitive verb

1
a
: to determine by mathematical processes
calculate the rate of acceleration
b
: to reckon by exercise of practical judgment : estimate
calculate the likelihood of success
c
: to solve or probe the meaning of : figure out
trying to calculate his expressionHugh MacLennan
2
: to design or adapt for a purpose
he carefully calculated the timing of his arrival for maximum impact
3
a
: to judge to be true or probable
b
: intend
I calculate to do it or perish in the attemptMark Twain

intransitive verb

1
a
: to make a calculation
b
: to forecast consequences
2
: count, rely

Examples of calculate in a Sentence

calculate the volume of a cylinder I need to calculate how long it will take me to drive to Chicago. We calculated the cost of new carpeting for the whole house. We need to calculate our chances of success before we invest more money in the business.
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.
The report also calculated the amount of PFNA that people could be exposed to without being harmed — a critical measurement that can be used to set limits for cleaning up PFNA contamination in Superfund sites and for removing the chemical from drinking water. Sharon Lerner, ProPublica, 10 Oct. 2025 Another voice is former Obama administration economist Jason Furman, on the faculty at Harvard, who calculated in late September that without data centers, those GDP figures would look a bit different. Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2025 No one can pinpoint the origin of the missile, so how can anyone calculate blame? Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025 Elsewhere, Morgan Stanley worried the quality of government data is deteriorating, saying October collections of price data that go into calculating CPI are already missing. Sarah Min, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for calculate

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Late Latin calculātus, past participle of calculāre "to count, reckon, compute," derivative of Latin calculus "pebble, pebble used for calculating on a counting board, method or result of calculation" — more at calculus

Note: The verb may already have existed in Latin, to judge by the derivative calculātor—see calculator.

First Known Use

1542, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of calculate was in 1542

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Calculate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/calculate. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

calculate

verb
cal·​cu·​late ˈkal-kyə-ˌlāt How to pronounce calculate (audio)
calculated; calculating
1
: to find by performing mathematical operations (as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) : compute
calculate the average
2
: estimate entry 1 sense 1
calculate the risk of losing
3
: to plan by careful thought
a program calculated to succeed
Etymology

from Latin calculatus "calculate," derived from calculus "pebble (used in counting)," from calc-, calx "stone used in gambling, lime" — related to calcium, chalk

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