underestimate
/ˌʌndərˈestɪmeɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌʌndərˈestɪmeɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌən-dər-ˈe-stə-ˌmāt/ (ame, mw) · /ˌʌn.dəˈres.tɪ.mət/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌʌn.dɚˈes.tə.mət/ (ame, ipa)
underestimate — verb
- underestimatepresent simple I / you / we / they
- underestimateshe / she / it
- underestimatedpast simple
- underestimating-ing form
1. to think that a cost, distance, or level of difficulty is actually smaller or le
to think that a cost, distance, or level of difficulty is actually smaller or less serious than it later turns out to be
Kevin underestimated his car repair costs and ran out of money before the job ended.
collocation: underestimate the cost
The number of wedding guests was badly underestimated, so the venue felt too small.
passive with intensifier 'badly'
Nila's parents underestimated how hard it is to find a flat in the city centre.
The construction company had seriously underestimated the amount of steel needed for the bridge.
Liang realised he had underestimated the distance to the station by nearly two kilometres.
- misjudge
broader in meaning — can apply to any wrong judgment, not just about size or amount
- miscalculate
more specific to numerical or quantitative errors
- underrate
formal and less common; often used for value or quality rather than size
- overestimate
direct opposite — to think something is larger or more serious than it actually is
文法句型
underestimate + noun phrase
be underestimated
underestimate + how/what clause
用法筆記
Frequently used with intensifying adverbs such as 'badly', 'seriously', 'grossly', or 'greatly'. The noun phrase after 'by' specifies the gap between the estimate and the real figure.
常見錯誤
2. to form a wrong opinion about someone's skill, strength, intelligence, or determ
to form a wrong opinion about someone's skill, strength, intelligence, or determination, believing them to be less capable than they actually prove to be
The chess champion underestimated his young opponent and lost the game within twenty moves.
underestimate a person directly
Ife's colleagues used to underestimate her, but her excellent results changed their opinion.
Omar's swimming coach underestimated his speed — Omar proved him wrong by winning both heats.
The company underestimated Bilal's ability to learn new skills and lost him to a competitor.
Élise felt that her teacher had consistently underestimated her talent for mathematics.
- underrate
more formal and slightly less common; often used in written rather than spoken English
- sell short
informal idiom; suggests not giving someone enough credit for their qualities
- undervalue
focuses on not recognising the true worth or importance of someone or something
- overestimate
to think that someone has more ability or skill than they actually have
- overrate
to have a higher opinion of someone than they deserve
文法句型
underestimate + noun phrase (person or ability)
underestimate + how/what clause
be underestimated
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: this sense takes a person or a person's quality as the direct object, not a quantity or cost. The consequence is often that the person being underestimated proves the estimator wrong through superior performance.
常見錯誤
underestimate — noun
- underestimatesingular
- underestimatesplural
1. a judgment or calculation that sets the value, cost, or size of something at a l
a judgment or calculation that sets the value, cost, or size of something at a level lower than the true figure
The five-thousand-dollar cost was a serious underestimate — the final bill was nearly eight thousand.
pattern: prove to be + a + [adjective] + underestimate
The government's underestimate of the number of refugees led to a shortage of food supplies.
underestimate + of + noun phrase
Isabela's two-hour estimate was a huge underestimate because of the holiday traffic.
The company's first sales forecast was a big underestimate — actual sales were double.
- miscalculation
broader — can refer to any kind of wrong calculation, not just one that is too low
- underestimation
the abstract noun form, often used in formal or academic writing
- overestimate
a judgment that is too high
文法句型
a/an + underestimate
underestimate + of + noun phrase
be + a + huge/serious/gross + underestimate
用法筆記
Commonly modified by adjectives such as 'serious', 'gross', 'huge', or 'massive'. The preposition 'of' introduces what the underestimate relates to.