underestimate
verb
un·der·es·ti·mate
ˌən-dər-ˈe-stə-ˌmāt 
underestimated; underestimating; underestimates
1
: to estimate as being less than the actual size, quantity, or number
underestimated the cost
2
: to think of as being lower in ability, influence, or value than is accurate : underrate
Her talent has always been underestimated.
Examples of underestimate in a Sentence
The city underestimated the cost of the new building.
The number of people in the crowd was underestimated by 5,000.
Never underestimate the importance of a good education.
Her talent has always been underestimated.
Recent Examples on the Web
Second, many Iran hawks seriously underestimated the risks and costs of opposing Tehran’s drive for regional hegemony through military action.
—
Jamie McIntyre, The Washington Examiner, 26 Mar. 2026
Instead, the Iran war has driven inflation worries, and Deutsche Bank research suggested policymakers were also likely to compensate for underestimating inflation in years past.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 25 Mar. 2026
Also, never underestimate the power of a good bag to give a minimalist dress some style edge.
—Clare Holden, Glamour, 25 Mar. 2026
But those who in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries made erroneous predictions of imminent mass starvation erred by underestimating the world‑changing potential of grasses.
—Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for underestimate
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Jamie McIntyre, The Washington Examiner, 26 Mar. 2026
Instead, the Iran war has driven inflation worries, and Deutsche Bank research suggested policymakers were also likely to compensate for underestimating inflation in years past.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 25 Mar. 2026
Also, never underestimate the power of a good bag to give a minimalist dress some style edge.
—Clare Holden, Glamour, 25 Mar. 2026
But those who in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries made erroneous predictions of imminent mass starvation erred by underestimating the world‑changing potential of grasses.
—Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for underestimate
Cite this Entry
“Underestimate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underestimate. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
underestimate
verb
un·der·es·ti·mate
ˌən-də-ˈres-tə-ˌmāt
1
: to estimate as being less than the actual size, quantity, or number
underestimate the cost of a new building
2
: to place too low a value on : underrate
underestimate an opponent
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