estimate 1 of 2

estimate

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noun

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
Tarnowsky estimates that this process is highly efficient and that a one-gigawatt reactor would produce enough tritium per year to run 800,000 homes, or 10 times as much as a fusion reactor of the same thermal power could make. New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2025 Females typically stick to territory of about 60 to 75 square miles, while males have a home range of approximately 160 to 200 square miles, experts estimate. Olivia Lloyd, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2025
Noun
According to estimates, Combs’ net worth has declined from of $1 billion to about $400 million since his legal troubles began. Gina Barton, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2025 Consumers who wish to watch every single NFL game this season will have to pay upwards of $750 to do so, according to estimates by Forbes, which noted the league’s games will air on ten different platforms during the 2025-26 season. Dominick Mastrangelo, The Hill, 7 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for estimate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for estimate
Verb
  • Moyes takes his time assessing and signing off on targets and is notoriously picky.
    Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Angel Reese was assessed her 8th technical foul of the season after incidental contact with Aaliyah Edwards on this play.
    Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The payments are calculated to increase by 5% every year.
    George Petras, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Dennis Culhane, a University of Pennsylvania professor who specializes in homelessness and housing policy, calculated that the number of men older than 60 living in shelters roughly tripled from 2000 to 2020.
    Felice J. Freyer, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • There is not yet an estimation of how much money will be paid out.
    Laura Schulte, jsonline.com, 5 Sep. 2025
  • All factor into Chelsea’s estimations as outsiders for the title.
    Jack Bantock, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The deal, brokered after a standoff between state and county officials resulting from a disagreement over whether to raise assessments this year, means homeowners will see a nearly 7% increase above their 2024 property valuation.
    Madeline King, Kansas City Star, 7 Sep. 2025
  • As large language models like OpenAI’s GPT-3 and GPT-4 exploded onto the scene, students and teaching assistants alike began questioning whether assessments ought to be handled differently.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • This evolution in masculinity, where vulnerability and authenticity are valued, moves away from the restrictive path in which the men interviewed by USA TODAY were raised.
    Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
  • The Browser Company was valued at $550 million last year.
    Jordan Novet, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • When a nuclear missile is launched at the United States, White House officials scramble to figure who's responsible and how to respond in a drama featuring Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, Gabriel Basso and Jared Harris.
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
  • And both backs figure to get plenty of opportunities again this week against Eastern Washington.
    Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 2 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • But for high-value artwork, jewelry and the like, appraisals matter.
    Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2025
  • An eye-catching deadline day move for Benfica midfielder Florentino Luis was not enough to change Burnley’s appraisal as favorites to go straight back down.
    Jack Bantock, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Boeing previously admitted that two of its 737 MAX flight technical pilots deceived the Federal Aviation Administration’s aircraft evaluation group about an aircraft part known as MCAS that affected the flight control system of the Boeing 737 MAX.
    Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Our comprehensive ranking methodology unfolds through four distinct phases of rigorous evaluation.
    Bessemer Venture Partners, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Estimate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/estimate. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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