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overestimate

noun · verb

Simple meaning

A calculation that results in an estimate that is too high.

Pronunciation

Say it like this:

ohverehstuhmayt

Say the bold part a little louder.

US device voice
IPA pronunciation (US)

oʊvɚˈɛstəmeɪt

This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.

IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.

Word Review

Definition

Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.

noun

  1. A calculation that results in an estimate that is too high

  2. An appraisal that is too high

verb

  1. To judge or calculate too highly.

Word at a Glance

Difficulty
C2 · Proficient
Frequency
Rare
Typical Use
Primarily written

Word Aura™

How this word commonly comes across.

Aura for this meaning

This meaning: A calculation that results in an estimate that is too high

Used this way, overestimate is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.

Emotional tone
Neutral
Formality
Neutral
Intensity
Not strongly marked
How common
Moderately common
Connotation
Matter-of-fact
Usage feel
Neutral and straightforward

Nearby words

  • overrating , rarer, so it draws attention

Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.

More ways to use overestimate

  • “He overestimated his own powers.”verb

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More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin

Synonyms

Sense: calculation that results in an estimate that is too high

overratingRare

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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.