miscalculate
verb
mis·cal·cu·late
ˌmis-ˈkal-kyə-ˌlāt 
miscalculated; miscalculating
: to calculate wrongly : to make a miscalculation
This fall, publishers badly miscalculated the public's appetite for celebrity tell-alls.—
Patrick M. Reilly
Patrick M. Reilly… the bosses simply weren't ready when it turned out they had miscalculated badly.—Kevin Drum
Kevin DrumExamples of miscalculate in a Sentence
they miscalculated how difficult the mountainous trek would be
Recent Examples on the Web
Since successful maritime navigation in antiquity was based on the winds and ocean currents that could be devastating if miscalculated, ships moved from port to port and always kept land in sight.
—Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026
The movie, to my eyes, badly miscalculates the ratio of paradise to despoilment, indulging the latter at the expense of the former.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2025
Read More: Putin Got Three Major Wins From Trump in Anchorage, But the Talks Aren’t Over
Lavrov’s comments suggest President Trump may have miscalculated the momentum of peace talks overall between the two nations.
—Rebecca Schneid, Time, 24 Aug. 2025
In selecting Fiddelke as the company’s next CEO, Target’s board seems to have miscalculated where the company is in its trajectory.
—Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
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Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026
The movie, to my eyes, badly miscalculates the ratio of paradise to despoilment, indulging the latter at the expense of the former.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2025
Read More: Putin Got Three Major Wins From Trump in Anchorage, But the Talks Aren’t Over
Lavrov’s comments suggest President Trump may have miscalculated the momentum of peace talks overall between the two nations.
—Rebecca Schneid, Time, 24 Aug. 2025
In selecting Fiddelke as the company’s next CEO, Target’s board seems to have miscalculated where the company is in its trajectory.
—Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for miscalculate
Cite this Entry
“Miscalculate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/miscalculate. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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