miscalculation
noun
mis·cal·cu·la·tion
ˌmis-ˌkal-kyə-ˈlā-shən 
plural miscalculations
: a mistake in calculation : wrong calculation
a costly miscalculation
… ruled that utility shareholders, not electricity consumers, must pay for some or all of the miscalculations that resulted in excessive expansion or cost overruns.—
Peter Nulty
Peter NultySynonyms
Examples of miscalculation in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The United States and China butted heads over a number of contentious bilateral, regional and global issues as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Friday with senior Chinese officials and warned of the dangers of misunderstandings and miscalculations.
—Matthew Lee, Fortune, 26 Apr. 2024
In what proved to be a disastrous miscalculation for Moscow, Ukraine repelled the initial assault on its capital and, later in 2022, reclaimed some of the territories overrun by Russia.
—Christian Edwards, CNN, 8 Apr. 2024
The attack may prove to be a miscalculation that leads to dangerous outcomes, not just for Israel but also for the entire region.
—Dalia Dassa Kaye, Foreign Affairs, 4 Apr. 2024
In the current scenario, the slightest miscalculation could trigger a significant escalation that could lead Lebanon into a full-scale war with Israel, according to Tenenti, the UNIFIL spokesperson.
—Diego Ibarra Sánchez, NPR, 29 Feb. 2024
Though the implication is that white people have fragile egos, and there’s humor in that, taking that fragility so seriously feels like a miscalculation.
—Jourdain Searles, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Jan. 2024
Analysts have cautioned that while both sides probably want to avoid open war, any miscalculation could spill over and lead to a broader regional escalation.
—Thomas Fuller, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2024
Yet the risk of American miscalculations and overconfidence will creep up over time.
—Suzanne Maloney, Foreign Affairs, 8 Apr. 2024
Neither Israel nor Iran wants a direct military conflict with the other, most experts agree, but the scope for miscalculation and escalation is substantial.
—Alexander Smith, NBC News, 7 Apr. 2024
Matthew Lee, Fortune, 26 Apr. 2024
In what proved to be a disastrous miscalculation for Moscow, Ukraine repelled the initial assault on its capital and, later in 2022, reclaimed some of the territories overrun by Russia.
—Christian Edwards, CNN, 8 Apr. 2024
The attack may prove to be a miscalculation that leads to dangerous outcomes, not just for Israel but also for the entire region.
—Dalia Dassa Kaye, Foreign Affairs, 4 Apr. 2024
In the current scenario, the slightest miscalculation could trigger a significant escalation that could lead Lebanon into a full-scale war with Israel, according to Tenenti, the UNIFIL spokesperson.
—Diego Ibarra Sánchez, NPR, 29 Feb. 2024
Though the implication is that white people have fragile egos, and there’s humor in that, taking that fragility so seriously feels like a miscalculation.
—Jourdain Searles, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Jan. 2024
Analysts have cautioned that while both sides probably want to avoid open war, any miscalculation could spill over and lead to a broader regional escalation.
—Thomas Fuller, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2024
Yet the risk of American miscalculations and overconfidence will creep up over time.
—Suzanne Maloney, Foreign Affairs, 8 Apr. 2024
Neither Israel nor Iran wants a direct military conflict with the other, most experts agree, but the scope for miscalculation and escalation is substantial.
—Alexander Smith, NBC News, 7 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'miscalculation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near miscalculation
Cite this Entry
“Miscalculation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/miscalculation. Accessed 1 May. 2024.
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