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

There are estimated to be 11,000 Palestinians missing, many of them in deep craters or under tall mounds of rubble, drowned in earth without a proper burial. — Literary Hub, 16 July 2026 Families will only need to pay for maintenance and utilities, which is estimated to be around $1,000 a month. — Julianna Mejia july 16, Kansas City Star, 16 July 2026

Noun

That’s the percentage of infants globally who received at least one dose of the diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccine last year, according to annual WHO and UNICEF estimates. — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 15 July 2026 Its sell-through rate climbed to 91 percent from 87 percent a year earlier, while works sold for an average of 124 percent of their low estimates, up from 112 percent last year. — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 15 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for estimate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for estimate

Verb

Vogue Business assessed the 64 shows and presentations published on Vogue Runway and contacted each brand to verify the findings (brands were given 48 hours to respond).

— Amy Francombe, Vogue, 6 July 2026
Professionals must actively map where their risk truly lies, assessing counterparty exposure, income correlation, and cost repricing, rather than mistaking simplicity for safety.

— Henrik Totterman, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026

Definition of assess

Verb

If all goes to plan, orders are slated to ship to select countries in September 2026, and delivery costs will be calculated once the campaign ends (free for orders from the US, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, China, and EU).

— Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 14 July 2026
Unfortunately, most people are far more likely to run into questions of budgeting and investing than, say, calculating the area of a triangle (some professions aside).

— Becca Stanek, TheWeek, 13 July 2026

Definition of calculate

Noun

Treasury responded but did not address GAO's recommendation that the department develop a government-wide fraud estimation methodology.

— Brett Rowland The Center Square, Arkansas Online, 5 July 2026
In Hruska’s estimation, some of the fireworks for sale at roadside stands are simply too powerful for amateur use.

— Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 July 2026

Definition of estimation

Noun

Women, too, have declining levels of testosterone, but assessment is even more complex than for men, and benefits of testosterone therapy for women are under debate.

— Annalisa Merelli, STAT, 16 July 2026
Of the 1,027 eligible women, 678 (66%) agreed to annual assessments of memory, language and reasoning, along with regular checks on physical health and daily functioning.

— Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026

Definition of assessment

Verb

Empathy and active listening appear among the 10 core skills employers value most, alongside analytical thinking, resilience and creativity.

— Dan Fitzpatrick, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
But this view risks fetishizing embodiment and emotion, much the same way that previous generations valued reason and language to an outsized degree to prove that humans are distinct from animals.

— Meghan O’Gieblyn, The New York Review of Books, 11 July 2026

Definition of value

Noun

The legislation also incorporates Warnock's Appraisal Modernization Act, which supporters say is intended to improve fairness in the home appraisal process.

— Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 12 July 2026
The benefits listed in official scientific and governmental appraisals of the water’s mineral content are nothing short of miraculous.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026

Definition of appraisal

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 19 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of estimate

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noun

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