estimate

verb

es·ti·mate | \ ˈe-stə-ˌmāt

estimated; estimating

Definition of estimate

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1 archaic

a : esteem

b : appraise

2a : to judge tentatively or approximately the value, worth, or significance of

b : to determine roughly the size, extent, or nature of

c : to produce a statement of the approximate cost of

3 : judge, conclude

estimate

noun

es·ti·mate | \ ˈe-stə-mət

Definition of estimate (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : the act of appraising or valuing : calculation

2 : an opinion or judgment of the nature, character, or quality of a person or thing had a high estimate of his abilities

3a : a rough or approximate calculation

b : a numerical value obtained from a statistical sample and assigned to a population parameter

4 : a statement of the cost of work to be done

Other Words from estimate Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about estimate

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Choose the Right Synonym for estimate

Verb

estimate, appraise, evaluate, value, rate, assess mean to judge something with respect to its worth or significance. estimate implies a judgment, considered or casual, that precedes or takes the place of actual measuring or counting or testing out. estimated the crowd at two hundred appraise commonly implies the fixing by an expert of the monetary worth of a thing, but it may be used of any critical judgment. having their house appraised evaluate suggests an attempt to determine relative or intrinsic worth in terms other than monetary. evaluate a student's work value equals appraise but without implying expertness of judgment. a watercolor valued by the donor at $500 rate adds to estimate the notion of placing a thing according to a scale of values. a highly rated restaurant assess implies a critical appraisal for the purpose of understanding or interpreting, or as a guide in taking action. officials are trying to assess the damage

Examples of estimate in a Sentence

Verb

They estimated the distance at about three miles. We need to estimate how much paint we'll need for the job. The cost of the project has been estimated at about 10 million dollars. He estimates that current oil reserves are 20 percent lower than they were a year ago.

Noun

According to government estimates, current oil reserves are 10 percent lower than they were a year ago. One conservative estimate is that he stole five million dollars. We solicited several estimates for the project. The contractor's estimate for the job seemed high. The company's products are, by general estimate, poorly made.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Nearly 48 percent of people aged 14 to 49 in the United States were estimated to have HSV-1 between 2015 and 2016, according to the most recent data from the CDC. — Sophie Saint Thomas, SELF, "Here’s Why Doctors Don’t Usually Test for Herpes," 10 May 2019 This probably doesn't come as a surprise to you, but the YouTuber's net worth is estimated to be a cool $2.5 million. — Yerin Kim, Seventeen, "10 Facts About Emma Chamberlain Only Real Fans Will Know," 3 May 2019 The latest statistics from 2006 data show that an estimated 13.5 million people in the United States have low access to a proper grocery store, and 82% of them live in urban areas. — Jessica Booth, Redbook, "Everything You Need To Know About Food Deserts," 29 Apr. 2019 His net worth is estimated to be in the multi-million range. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "Who Is Princess Beatrice’s New Boyfriend, Edoardo Mozzi?," 29 Dec. 2018 The species is estimated to be between 236,000 and 335,000 years old, based on several dating methods. — Lydia Pyne, Ars Technica, "Rising Star found a new species—now it wants to find a new way for paleoanthropology," 20 Dec. 2018 In June, Customs and Border Protection agents seized 110 pounds of fentanyl from China in Philadelphia, which was valued at $1.7 billion and was estimated to be lethal enough to wipe out Pennsylvania’s population twice. — Alexandria Hein, Fox News, "China's fentanyl exports targeted in bipartisan opioid bill," 24 Sep. 2018 Harry is also estimated to be worth around $40 million. — Amy Mackelden, Harper's BAZAAR, "Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Net Worth Compared to Kate Middleton and Prince William's," 23 Sep. 2018 Getty ImagesAntony Jones/Brendan Bierne Kate owes her massive personal bank account to her family, who own a very profitable online party supply business called Party Pieces, which is estimated to be worth £30 million (about $50 million). — Kayleigh Roberts, Marie Claire, "Kate Middleton's Net Worth Before She Married Prince William Will Make Your Jaw Drop," 22 Sep. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

This statuette also dating from the Qing dynasty was acquired for 112,500 euro, after a long bidding battle between 12 international collectors, and that was way above its initial estimate of 4,000-6,000 euro. — Stellene Volandes, Town & Country, "Coco Chanel's Beloved Glass Deer Statuette is Now For Sale," 26 Apr. 2019 The crowd in Washington, DC — at least 470,000, according to one estimate — dwarfed the one that had assembled for Trump’s inauguration the day before. — Anna North, Vox, "The Women’s March changed the American left. Now anti-Semitism allegations threaten the group’s future.," 21 Dec. 2018 White workers’ overall representation in the working class is shrinking — so much as down to 59% as of 2015 according to one estimate, and set to become majority-minority as of 2032. — Kim Kelly, Teen Vogue, "What the "Working Class" Is, and How It's Politicized," 13 Dec. 2018 All told, the city estimates as much as $4 billion could be spent on retrofitting buildings. — Lucy Diavolo, Teen Vogue, "New York City Passed Its Own Green New Deal–Like Legislation," 19 Apr. 2019 This estimate means the baby could easily share a birthday with another royal: Queen Elizabeth's birthday is April 21, Prince Louis's is April 23, and Princess Charlotte's is May 2. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "When Is Meghan Markle's Due Date? Here's When the Royal Baby Will Likely Be Born," 18 Apr. 2019 The gem was thought to receive a highest bid between $11.2 and 12.7 million at the Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite auction, but the final price eclipsed the estimate. — Maggie Maloney, Town & Country, "A Flawless 88.22-Carat Oval Diamond Just Sold For More Than $13.7 Million at Auction," 2 Apr. 2019 Those older Americans with mobility challenges face a dearth of options; according to the latest available estimates from 2011, only 3.5 percent of the nation’s homes had single-floor living, no-step entry, and extra-wide halls and doors. — Patrick Sisson, Curbed, "Senior housing: Older Americans face affordability, accessibility challenges," 14 Nov. 2018 My wife tells me there are (based on Mall estimates) 1500 or so people in line. — Conner Mitchell, kansascity, "Hundreds of shoppers stuff Oak Park, Independence malls for Build-A-Bear special," 12 July 2018

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