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
2
: to place too low a value on : underrate
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
Never underestimate your toiletry bag.
—
Emily Belfiore, Travel + Leisure, 7 Sep. 2025
Other foods beyond these 19 may also expose people to PFAS, so the totals may underestimate the actual intake.
—Jiameng Zheng, The Conversation, 4 Sep. 2025
Teams coming from traditional finance often underestimate how fast narratives shift in cryptocurrency.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Lead author and pharmacist professor Luke Grzeskowiak of Australia's Flinders University, said the findings underscore how often hyperemesis gravidarum is underestimated or dismissed.
—Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for underestimate
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Emily Belfiore, Travel + Leisure, 7 Sep. 2025
Other foods beyond these 19 may also expose people to PFAS, so the totals may underestimate the actual intake.
—Jiameng Zheng, The Conversation, 4 Sep. 2025
Teams coming from traditional finance often underestimate how fast narratives shift in cryptocurrency.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Lead author and pharmacist professor Luke Grzeskowiak of Australia's Flinders University, said the findings underscore how often hyperemesis gravidarum is underestimated or dismissed.
—Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for underestimate
Cite this Entry
“Underestimate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underestimate. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
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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