underestimate
verb · noun
Simple meaning
To estimate too low.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
uhnderehstuhmaytSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈʌndɚˈɛstəmeɪt
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.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
verb
transitive
To estimate too low; to perceive (someone or something) as having a lower value, quantity, worth, etc., than what he/she/it actually has.
Make too low an estimate of
“He underestimated the work that went into the renovation.”
transitive
To perceive or expect (someone or something) to be less significant or difficult than it actually is.
Make a deliberately low estimate
Assign too low a value to
“Don't underestimate the value of this heirloom-you may sell it at a good price.”
noun
An estimation that is too low; an estimate that is less than the true or actual value
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- C1 · Advanced
- Frequency
- Uncommon
- Typical Use
- Primarily written
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: To estimate too low; to perceive (someone or something) as having a lower value, quantity, worth, etc., than what he/she/it actually has.
Used this way, underestimate 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
- No strong connotation
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
How It’s Used
The word’s distinct uses, one example each.
Makeverb
“He underestimated the work that went into the renovation.”
Assignverb
“Don't underestimate the value of this heirloom-you may sell it at a good price.”
More ways to use underestimate
- “Don't underestimate the value of this heirloom-you may sell it at a good price.”verb
- “He underestimated the work that went into the renovation.”verb
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Antonyms
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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.