overestimated
/ˌəʊ.vəˈres.tɪ.meɪt/ (bre, ipa) · [ˌovɚˈɛstəmˌetɪd] /ˌoʊ.vɚˈes.tə.meɪt/ (ame, ipa)
overestimated — verb
- overestimatedpresent simple I / you / we / they
- overestimateds3rd person singular
- overestimateding-ing form
- overestimatededpast simple
1. to make a calculation about an amount, cost, or size that turns out to be larger
to make a calculation about an amount, cost, or size that turns out to be larger than the real figure.
Marta overestimated how much paint she needed and bought four extra cans.
overestimate + how-much clause for quantities
The builder badly overestimated the cost of the new kitchen, scaring the family off.
common subject: planner / builder estimating cost
Daniel overestimated the size of the garden and ordered far too much grass seed.
Layla's travel time to the airport was overestimated by about twenty minutes.
- miscalculate
neutral; covers both too-high and too-low errors
- exaggerate
stronger; suggests you stretched the number on purpose
- underestimate
direct opposite — your figure comes out lower than reality
文法句型
overestimate + noun (amount/size/cost)
用法筆記
Object is usually a measurable quantity (cost, time, size, distance, weight). Distinguish from sense 2: this sense is about numbers; sense 2 is about how good or important something is.
常見錯誤
2. to judge a thing, idea, or plan as having more value, usefulness, or weight than
to judge a thing, idea, or plan as having more value, usefulness, or weight than reality supports.
Min overestimated the importance of the test and stayed up worrying all night.
overestimate + the importance / value of [noun]
Investors clearly overestimated the value of the company before its share price crashed.
typical subject: market / investors judging worth
Sirin overestimated how much a single five-star review would help her family bakery.
Ayana overestimated the usefulness of her old textbook and barely opened it again.
The benefits of the new bus route have been seriously overestimated by city planners.
- underestimate
to judge something as less important or useful than it really is
文法句型
overestimate + noun (value/importance/impact)
用法筆記
Object is usually an abstract quality (importance, value, impact, benefit). Distinguish from sense 1, which is about numbers and measurements, and from sense 3, which is about a person's abilities.
常見錯誤
3. to wrongly judge a person's strength, intelligence, skill, or willpower as great
to wrongly judge a person's strength, intelligence, skill, or willpower as greater than what they actually have.
Ilan overestimated his rival and let his guard down during the chess match.
common object: rival / opponent
The coach overestimated the young goalkeeper and chose her for the final game.
overestimate + a person's role / skill
Faisal warned the team not to overestimate him, since he had never led a project before.
Shanti was clearly overestimated by the panel, who thought she could fix any code bug.
- overrate
very close; common for athletes, students, or job candidates
- underestimate
to think a person is weaker or less able than they really are
文法句型
overestimate + person / their ability
用法筆記
Object is a person or a person's specific quality (intelligence, strength, skill, determination). Distinguish from sense 2, where the object is an idea or thing. Frequently appears with a follow-up sentence explaining the disappointing result.
常見錯誤
overestimated — noun
1. a figure or judgement that is higher than the real amount or true level.
a figure or judgement that is higher than the real amount or true level.
The first crowd count of one hundred thousand was a clear overestimate.
countable noun: 'an overestimate'
Quinn called the budget an overestimate after seeing the cheaper supplier list.
common verb: 'call X an overestimate'
Two thousand dollars turned out to be quite an overestimate of the repair bill.
Rodrigo defended his early sales overestimate by blaming a sudden change in the market.
- overstatement
broader; covers words and claims, not only numbers
- exaggeration
stronger; suggests the figure was stretched on purpose
- underestimate
a figure that comes out too low
文法句型
an overestimate of + noun
用法筆記
Most often used in business, science, and reporting contexts where a published figure later proves too large. Pair with adjectives like 'wild', 'serious', or 'modest' to grade how far off the figure was.