overestimate

1 of 2

verb

over·​es·​ti·​mate ˌō-vər-ˈe-stə-ˌmāt 

overestimated; overestimating

transitive verb

: to estimate or value (someone or something) too highly

… the senator had been so responsible about his potential tax liabilities that he had substantially overestimated what he owed the government.

—David Burnham

… our habit of overestimating our knowledge and underestimating our ignorance …

—David A. Shaywitz

The emotional power of this reunion can't be overestimated.

—Joe Klein

"I mean that I am afraid I overestimated him. I don't think that he is a painter of the first rank."

—Henry James

overestimate

2 of 2

noun

over·​es·​ti·​mate ˌō-vər-ˈe-stə-mət 

plural overestimates

: an estimate that is too high

overestimates of the company's future profits

Diamond still attacks the growth projections that the utilities have put forward, arguing that the … figures were overestimates …

—Norman Boucher

Synonyms

Verb

• overrate
• overvalue

Examples of overestimate in a Sentence

Verb

the contractors overestimated their ability to do the work on such short notice

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

And though Americans like to complain about how many of their tax dollars support the rest of the world, nearly 9 in 10 Americans (86%) overestimate how much of the federal budget goes to international aid, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll released in March. —Terry Collins, USA Today, 20 May 2025

Work smarter not harder Many new CE leaders overestimate their internal ability and capacity to forge new partnerships to improve supply chains. —London School Of Economics, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025

Noun

Asymptomatic cases may spread the virus unknowingly and since they may not be identified, the death rate may be an overestimate. —Mark Kortepeter, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025

Retailers’ concerns about modest price increases overestimate impacts on consumption while undervaluing nationwide job creation. —Joseph Ferrara, Sourcing Journal, 3 Sep. 2019

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1797, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1828, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for overestimate

• borosilicate
• decontaminate
• deoxycholate
• deteriorate
• differentiate
• diisocyanate
• dinoflagellate
• excommunicate
• incapacitate
• insubordinate
• intercorporate
• interpenetrate

Kids Definition

overestimate

verb

over·​es·​ti·​mate

ˌō-və-ˈres-tə-ˌmāt

overestimated; overestimating

1

: to estimate as being more than the actual size, quantity, or number

overestimated how many would attend

2

: to place too high a value on : overrate

overestimated his abilities

overestimate

-mət

noun

overestimation

-ˌres-tə-ˈmā-shən

noun