ESTIMATE Synonyms: 106 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'estimate' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of estimate are appraise , assess , evaluate , rate , and value . While all these words mean "to judge something with respect to its worth or significance," estimate implies a judgment, considered or casual, that precedes or takes the place of actual measuring or counting or testing out. // estimated the crowd at two hundred

Q: Where would 'appraise' be a reasonable alternative to 'estimate'?

The words appraise and estimate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, appraise commonly implies the fixing by an expert of the monetary worth of a thing, but it may be used of any critical judgment. // having their house appraised

Q: When can 'assess' be used instead of 'estimate'?

While the synonyms assess and estimate are close in meaning, assess implies a critical appraisal for the purpose of understanding or interpreting, or as a guide in taking action. // officials are trying to assess the damage

Q: When might 'evaluate' be a better fit than 'estimate'?

While in some cases nearly identical to estimate , evaluate suggests an attempt to determine relative or intrinsic worth in terms other than monetary. // evaluate a student's work

Q: How are the words 'rate' and 'estimate' related?

Rate adds to estimate the notion of placing a thing according to a scale of values. // a highly rated restaurant

Q: How do 'value' and 'appraise' relate to one another, in the sense of 'estimate'?

Value equals appraise but without implying expertness of judgment. // a watercolor valued by the donor at $500

estimate 1 of 2

verb

ˈe-stə-ˌmāt

Definition of estimate

as in to assess

to make an approximate or tentative judgment regarding experts estimated the value of the painting at a million dollars

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in to calculate

to decide the size, amount, number, or distance of (something) without actual measurement we estimated the snowfall to be about a foot

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

estimate

2 of 2

noun

ˈe-stə-mət

as in estimation

the act of placing a value on the nature, character, or quality of something what we owe our war veterans is beyond estimate

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in assessment

an opinion on the nature, character, or quality of something the estimate of many art specialists that the painting is a fake

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb estimate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of estimate are appraise, assess, evaluate, rate, and value. While all these words mean "to judge something with respect to its worth or significance," estimate implies a judgment, considered or casual, that precedes or takes the place of actual measuring or counting or testing out.

estimated the crowd at two hundred

Where would appraise be a reasonable alternative to estimate?

The words appraise and estimate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, appraise commonly implies the fixing by an expert of the monetary worth of a thing, but it may be used of any critical judgment.

having their house appraised

When can assess be used instead of estimate?

While the synonyms assess and estimate are close in meaning, assess implies a critical appraisal for the purpose of understanding or interpreting, or as a guide in taking action.

officials are trying to assess the damage

When might evaluate be a better fit than estimate?

While in some cases nearly identical to estimate, evaluate suggests an attempt to determine relative or intrinsic worth in terms other than monetary.

evaluate a student's work

How are the words rate and estimate related?

Rate adds to estimate the notion of placing a thing according to a scale of values.

a highly rated restaurant

How do value and appraise relate to one another, in the sense of estimate?

Value equals appraise but without implying expertness of judgment.

a watercolor valued by the donor at $500

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of estimate

Verb

Chen, who was talent-scouted as a teen, estimates that many actors might have lost more than 60% of their work this year. — Ling Wei, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026 Rebuilding the bridge — a crucial link between the state capital of Providence and its eastern suburbs — is now estimated to cost $427 million and is scheduled to be completed in November 2028. — Caroline Linton, CBS News, 10 Sep. 2026

Noun

Our current architecture estimates suggest that separating deterministic execution from runtime intelligence could reduce expected token consumption by around 90% compared with initial approaches. — Nitin Gupta, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026 Those estimates include the run-up to the Games over the next two years. — James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for estimate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for estimate

Verb

Baker chose to have a judge, rather than the jury, assess his punishment.

— Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Sep. 2026
Beyond that, Illinois has now fallen behind Republican states such as Texas that have paused to assess data centers’ effect on the state’s energy grid.

— Patrick McNamara, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of assess

Noun

High-school students across Asia are pulling ahead of their Western peers, an annual global assessment indicates, as artificial intelligence spurs a worldwide race for talent and reshapes how young people learn.

— Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2026
For our field staff, that meant less time on documentation and data entry and more time present with patients during assessments.

— Sonali Bloom, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of assessment

Verb

Most of us who have spent careers as osteopathic physicians in a largely allopathic American health care system have learned to value and embrace these unique aspects.

— Torie Bosch, STAT, 5 Sep. 2026
Equally, Pattinson’s ability to jump seamlessly between offbeat indies and hundred-million-dollar tentpoles is a skill the modern Academy tends to value.

— Nate Jones, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of value

Verb

On average, a Costco shopper makes 31 trips annually, spending $99 per visit for a total annual outlay of $3,043 – figures that comfortably eclipse competitors like Sam’s Club and BJ’s, Numerator said.

— Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2026
Their wide receiver group Sunday figures to include Bateman, Walker, return specialist LaJohntay Wester, Moore and Sarratt.

— Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of figure

Noun

The strange aspect of Hughes’s two-and-a-half-year spell at Liverpool is that appraisals of his performance fluctuated so wildly — and rarely presciently.

— James Pearce, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
According to Ali Hafezi, the co-owner of a rug restoration and appraisal company, synthetic fiber rugs are among the easiest rugs to clean.

— Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of appraisal

Noun

Roster tweaks could be on the horizon, but will come after a period of evaluation by new coach Mike Babcock and his staff.

— Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Raji said an authority independent of the company should determine who is qualified to conduct the evaluation, what the evaluator can examine, and where its findings must be reported.

— Barbara Booth, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of evaluation

Browse Nearby Words

estimable

estimate

estimated

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“Estimate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/estimate. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of estimate

verb

noun

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