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

Synonyms

• mistake

Examples of miscalculation in a Sentence

treating her opponent as an intellectual lightweight was a serious miscalculation on her part

Recent Examples on the Web

Through a series of tweets, Altman publicly acknowledged a fundamental miscalculation. —Victor Dey, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025

This miscalculation left him financially devastated, forcing him to borrow $4,000 from his father to meet family expenses. —Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 13 Aug. 2025

Clashes at Scarborough and other South China Sea flashpoints have raised questions over whether a miscalculation could trigger Manila's Mutual Defense Treaty with Washington—and potentially a conflict between the two superpowers. —Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Aug. 2025

This strategic miscalculation emboldened Israel to deepen its control over the West Bank—through settlement expansion and the dispossession of Palestinian communities—and weaken the Palestinian Authority. —Ami Ayalon, Foreign Affairs, 5 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1653, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for miscalculation

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration