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Definition of underestimate verb from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

      

    underestimate

     verb
    verb
    NAmE//ˌʌndərˈɛstəˌmeɪt//
     
    Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they underestimate
     
    he / she / it underestimates
     
    past simple underestimated
     
    -ing form underestimating
     
     
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  1. 1underestimate something underestimate what, how, etc… to think or guess that the amount, cost, or size of something is smaller than it really is to underestimate the cost of the project We underestimated the time it would take to get there. The statistics seriously underestimate the number of people affected. AWL Collocationsestimateestimate verb
    • accurately, correctly, reliably
    • conservatively
    • roughly
    • empirically, quantitatively
    • separately
    These models were estimated separately for the 2000, 2004, and 2007 data sets.
    • difficult to
    • possible to
    • impossible to
    Population figures are difficult to estimate, with figures ranging from 10 to 16 million.
    • distance, size
    • frequency, rate
    • likelihood, probability
    • abundance, prevalence
    • variance
    Measuring risk means estimating the probability of an occurrence as a result of a specific event.overestimate verb
    • greatly, grossly
    • consistently
    • systematically
    Forecasters tended to systematically overestimate inflation.
    • tend to
    People tend to overestimate their activity levels, so Wyatt asked participants in the study to wear pedometers.underestimate verb
    • grossly
    • systematically
    • likely
    These statistics grossly underestimate the number of unemployed.estimated adjective
    • probability
    • percent
    • prevalence
    • variance
    • cost
    Table 2 reports the estimated prevalence of work-related asthma.estimate noun
    • accurate, precise, reliable
    • reasonable
    • unbiased
    • biased
    • conservative
    • rough
    Sufficient information exists to support reasonable estimates of life expectancy.
    • calculate, compute
    • derive
    • obtain
    • revise
    Estimates are calculated using the method of maximum likelihood.
    • be based on
    Most available demographic estimates are based on one or two years of data.
    • differ, range, vary
    • indicate, suggest
    Estimates of the number of species range between 3.6 million and 100 million.
    • according to
    Bangladesh is approximately the size of Wisconsin, yet it has a population of more than 130 million, according to a 1996 estimate.
  2. 2underestimate somebody/something to not realize how good, strong, determined, etc. someone really is Never underestimate your opponent. Their ability should not be underestimated. opposite overestimate compare underrate
opposite overestimateSee underestimate in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
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