underestimation
/ˌʌn.dəˈres.tɪ.mət/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌʌn.dɚˈes.tə.mət/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌʌn.dəˈres.tɪ.meɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌʌn.dɚˈes.tə.meɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌən-dər-ˈe-stə-ˌmāt How to pronounce underestimate (audio)/ (ame, mw)
underestimation — noun
1. a judgment about the amount, size, cost, or difficulty of something that turns o
a judgment about the amount, size, cost, or difficulty of something that turns out to be too low because the real figure or level was higher
The project's $50,000 budget was a serious underestimation — the real cost was nearly three times that.
collocation: serious underestimation
Weather reports sometimes contain an underestimation of how strong a storm will be.
pattern: underestimation + of + clause
The company's early underestimation of online shopping demand cost them millions in lost sales.
The team's underestimation of repair time left drivers stuck in traffic for weeks.
- miscalculation
broader term; can be too high or too low, while underestimation is only too low
- undervaluation
focuses on monetary or worth-based judgments; more formal
- underestimate (noun)
informal synonym; less common in formal writing
- overestimation
a judgment that is too high rather than too low
文法句型
underestimation + of + noun
用法筆記
Often used with adjectives like gross, serious, or massive to emphasise the size of the mistake. Countable when referring to a specific instance (an underestimation), uncountable when speaking generally.
常見錯誤
underestimation — verb
- underestimationpresent simple I / you / we / they
- underestimations3rd person singular
- underestimationing-ing form
- underestimationedpast simple
1. to think or calculate that the amount, cost, size, or difficulty of something is
to think or calculate that the amount, cost, size, or difficulty of something is smaller or lower than it really is, leading to a wrong conclusion or plan
The builders underestimated the cost of materials by nearly forty percent.
collocation: underestimate + cost + by [amount]
Yumi underestimated how long it would take to drive across Jakarta during rush hour.
pattern: underestimate + how + adjective + clause
No one should underestimate the amount of preparation needed for a marathon.
The organisers greatly underestimated the number of people who would attend the free concert.
Elena underestimated the distance to the lake and ran out of water before reaching it.
- miscalculate
implies a numerical error; can be an over- or underestimate, while underestimate is always too low
- misjudge
broader — includes non-numerical contexts (e.g. character, mood)
- undervalue
focuses on monetary worth rather than quantity or difficulty
- overestimate
to think something is larger, more costly, or more difficult than it really is
文法句型
underestimate + noun phrase (the cost / the difficulty / the time)
underestimate + wh-clause (what it would take / how long it would last)
用法筆記
Frequently used with adverbs like greatly, seriously, or severely to indicate the size of the mistake. The object is typically a noun phrase referring to a measurable thing (cost, time, difficulty, size, distance).
常見錯誤
2. to form an unfairly low opinion of someone's ability, strength, intelligence, or
to form an unfairly low opinion of someone's ability, strength, intelligence, or determination, often leading to a wrong result or surprise
Never underestimate your opponent in a chess tournament — even a beginner can surprise you.
common expression: never underestimate [someone]
The coach had underestimated the young swimmer's determination to win.
pattern: underestimate + someone's + [quality]
Lukas underestimated how much his grandmother knew about using social media apps.
The manager underestimated Deepa's ability to lead the team through the crisis.
Amara's classmates underestimated her intelligence because she rarely spoke in class.
- underrate
very close in meaning; slightly more formal, often used in reviews or rankings
- misjudge
broader — can refer to a person's character, mood, or intentions, not just ability
- sell someone short
informal idiom; to fail to recognise someone's true worth
- overestimate
to think someone is more skilled, strong, or capable than they really are
- overrate
to give too high a value or rating to someone
文法句型
underestimate + someone
underestimate + someone's + ability / strength / skill / determination
underestimate + how + adjective + someone is
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: this sense takes a person (or a person's quality) as the object, not a measurable quantity. Frequently used in warnings and advice (Never underestimate…). The object can be a person, a group, or a personal attribute (strength, ability, intelligence).