underestimate
English · Thesaurus
AI In plain words
Writing a short explanation…
Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.
underestimate
- /ʌndɚˈɛs.tɪ.meɪt/ US
- /ʌndɚˈɛs.tɪ.mɪt/ US
- /ʌndɚˈɛs.tɪ.mət/ US
verb underestimates · underestimating · underestimated
-
To estimate too low; to perceive (someone or something) as having a lower value, quantity, worth, etc., than what he/she/it actually has.
It recalls the business case for Scotland's reopening of the Borders Railway to Tweedbank, that British Rail closed in 1969. The review says the business case for this was at best borderline, but goes on to say that the case greatly underestimated passenger demand and that the railway Scotland built
Similar: misjudge, misunderestimate, sell short, underapproximate · Opposite: overapproximate, overestimate, overhold, overrate, overreckon, overstate, overthink
-
To perceive or expect (someone or something) to be less significant or difficult than it actually is.
I totally underestimated the task.
Similar: belittle, make light of, bagatellize, banalize, cut down, de-emphasize, denigrate, degrade, deprecate, derogate, disparage, dispraise · Opposite: overdo, big up, cut it fat, exaggerate, hyperbolize, overcharge, overemphasize, overstate, play up, stretch, three-sheet
Similar: misunderestimate, sell short, underapproximate, underestimate, underguess, underjudge, underrate, underreckon, understate · Opposite: overestimate
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: underrate, undervalue, lowball, underrating, underreckoning, undervaluation, undervaluing, understate, underplay, underdog, disregard, ignore, neglect, forget, downplay, belittle
verb
Similar: misunderestimate, sell short, underapproximate, underestimate, underguess, underjudge, underrate, underreckon, understate · Opposite: overestimate
noun
Opposite: overestimate
Translations
Every language
verb to perceive as having lower value
| Español | subestimar |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 과소평가하다 gwasopyeonggahada |
| 日本語 | 過小評価する kashōhyōka suru, 侮る anadoru, 舐める nameru |
| 中文 | 低估 dīgū |
| Português | menosprezar, subestimar, fazer pouco |
| Français | sous-estimer |
| Deutsch | unterschätzen |
| Italiano | sottovalutare, sottostimare |
| Ελληνικά | υποτιμώ ypotimó, υποεκτιμώ ypoektimó |
| Română | subevalua, subestima |
| Русский | недооце́нивать nedoocénivatʹ, недооцени́ть nedoocenítʹ |
| العربية | اِسْتَخَفَّ istaḵaffa, اِسْتَهَانَ istahāna |
| עברית | זִלְזֵל zilzél |
noun an estimate that is too low
| Français | sous-estimation |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | Unterschätzung |
| Italiano | sottostima, sottovalutazione |
| Русский | недооце́нка nedoocénka |
Talk about this word "underestimate." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/underestimate. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. underestimate. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/underestimate "underestimate." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/underestimate.Cite this
@misc{underestimate_2026,
title = {underestimate},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/underestimate},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
