calculation

noun cal·cu·la·tion \ ˌkal-kyə-ˈlā-shən \

Updated on: 16 May 2018

Definition of calculation

1 a : the process or an act of calculating

b : the result of an act of calculating

2 a : studied care in analyzing or planning

b : cold heartless planning to promote self-interest

—

calculational

play \-ˈlāsh-nəl, -ˈlā-shə-nᵊl\ adjective

See calculation defined for English-language learners

See calculation defined for kids

Examples of calculation in a Sentence

According to experts' calculations, that star will explode within two billion years.
The computer can do millions of calculations each second.
Careful calculation is required to determine the required amount of fuel.
The book reveals the cold calculations that were behind the government's policies.
His positions are based on political calculation of what voters want to hear.

Recent Examples of calculation from the Web

When a home is new, the system design is largely based on a square footage calculation.

— brian sodoma, azcentral, "The ‘8-800-22’ rule … and a couple other signs it’s time to replace your air conditioner," 11 May 2018
Throughout taxicab history, drivers have been making the split-second calculation of whom to pick up and which passengers look like a bad call—the drunk ones, for example.

— jenny morber, Glamour, "What if You Take a Lyft Instead of an Ambulance?," 9 May 2018
That makes it a quantum bit, or qubit, capable of making multiple calculations simultaneously.

— neil savage, Scientific American, "What Are the Limits of Manipulating Nature?," 8 May 2018
And the Democrats and reform groups made a similar calculation — after all, the path to actually passing their deal would be uncertain and expensive.

— andrew prokop, Vox, "The Ohio gerrymandering reform going for a statewide vote this week, explained," 7 May 2018
Democrats have made a political calculation to delay or challenge every Donald Trump nominee, no matter the merits, and one egregious episode is playing out now.

— the editorial board, WSJ, "Gina Haspel’s CIA Crucible," 4 May 2018
Using this first experiment and a few other calculations, Drake conjured a formula for figuring out the likelihood of intelligent extraterrestrial life contacting Earth.

— matt blitz, Popular Mechanics, "We Can Explore Instead of Believe: Inside the Epic Hunt for E.T.," 30 Apr. 2018
Feld's speculation continued: Try to remember what the world looked like all the way back in December when Pai (and the Republican leadership) made this calculation.

— jon brodkin, Ars Technica, "Ajit Pai hasn’t finalized net neutrality repeal—here’s a theory on why," 24 Apr. 2018
This will allow for a more personalized calculation of the risk that all insurance companies formulate when offering coverage.

— william thornton, AL.com, "Hyundai working with usage-based insurance for drivers," 17 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'calculation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.