miscalculate

verb

mis·​cal·​cu·​late ˌmis-ˈkal-kyə-ˌlāt How to pronounce miscalculate (audio)
miscalculated; miscalculating

transitive + intransitive

: to calculate wrongly : to make a miscalculation
This fall, publishers badly miscalculated the public's appetite for celebrity tell-alls.Patrick M. Reilly
… the bosses simply weren't ready when it turned out they had miscalculated badly.Kevin Drum

Examples of miscalculate in a Sentence

they miscalculated how difficult the mountainous trek would be
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 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 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 The Carriers also argue that the Commission misinterpreted the Communications Act, miscalculated the penalties, and violated the Seventh Amendment by not affording them a jury trial. Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2025 More players mean more scenarios for people to miscalculate. Andreas Kluth, Twin Cities, 17 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for miscalculate

Word History

First Known Use

1633, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of miscalculate was in 1633

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Cite this Entry

“Miscalculate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/miscalculate. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

miscalculate

verb
mis·​cal·​cu·​late
(ˈ)mis-ˈkal-kyə-ˌlāt
: to calculate wrongly : make a mistake in calculation
miscalculation
ˌmis-ˌkal-kyə-ˈlā-shən
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on miscalculate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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