gross miscalculation

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "gross miscalculation" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a significant error in judgment or calculation, often with serious consequences. Example: "The company's decision to invest heavily in that failing project was a gross miscalculation that led to substantial financial losses."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

Anyway, that maths – a gross miscalculation, it turns out.

The Guardian - Music

The gross miscalculation of the "boobs" number set the tone for the evening the wrong one.

The New Yorker

Finally, a gross miscalculation brought the ships to Matagorda Bay in Texas, 500 miles west of their intended landfall.

Encyclopedia Britannica

One spectacular failure of French intelligence was its gross miscalculation of German military strength in 1914, when it underrated German technical and tactical capabilities.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Besides, expecting pop music's largely youthful audience to pay hundreds of dollars a year may be a gross miscalculation of their disposable income.

The New York Times - Tech

But so have major ones: waiting too long to address the right tackle position, opting not to obtain a proven receiver and, in what appears a gross miscalculation, extending Sanchez's contract.

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

42 human-written examples

Rather, he seems to have made three gross miscalculations.

The Economist

But in his life, as in his televised story, big-picture thinking is prone to gross miscalculations.

The New York Times - Arts

It is likely that this war won't be remembered as much for ideology and deception as for gross miscalculations about the challenge of nation-building and the capricious nature of freedom.

The New York Times

The causes of this debacle include a colossally wrongheaded deregulation plan, gross miscalculations of the likely demand for electricity, and a failure to build any new generating plants over the past decade.

The New York Times

"If he decides not to come to the table, it would be another one of President Assad's gross miscalculations," he said.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "gross miscalculation" to emphasize the magnitude and severity of an error, particularly when discussing strategic decisions or estimations that have significant consequences.

Common error

Avoid using "gross miscalculation" when describing trivial errors. Reserve it for situations where the miscalculation leads to considerable negative outcomes.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "gross miscalculation" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "gross" modifies the noun "miscalculation". Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. It typically serves to describe a significant error in judgment or calculation.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

71%

Encyclopedias

14%

Formal & Business

7%

Less common in

Science

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "gross miscalculation" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase to describe a significant error in judgment or calculation. Ludwig AI validates its usability across diverse contexts, particularly in news and encyclopedic sources. It is suitable for professional and formal communication when emphasizing the severity and impact of a misjudgment. When using this phrase, it's best reserved for situations where the error leads to considerable negative outcomes, avoiding overuse in trivial contexts. Related alternatives include "egregious error" and "major blunder". This phrase functions as a noun phrase with an adjective modifying the noun. Its primary purpose is to express criticism or disapproval.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

egregious error

Replaces "miscalculation" with "error" and "gross" with "egregious" which both signify a large mistake.

major blunder

Substitutes "miscalculation" with "blunder", indicating a foolish or careless mistake, and "gross" with "major" to emphasize the significance.

significant misjudgment

Replaces "miscalculation" with "misjudgment", focusing on the decision-making aspect of the error and "gross" with "significant" to express consequence.

serious error in judgment

Replaces "miscalculation" with a more descriptive "error in judgment", highlighting the cognitive aspect of the mistake and adds "serious" in place of "gross" for emphasis.

substantial miscalculation

"Substantial" replaces "gross", maintaining the sense of a large or important miscalculation.

severe miscalculation

"Severe" replaces "gross" which has similar meaning.

monumental miscalculation

Replaces "gross" with "monumental" suggesting an extreme scale of miscalculation.

terrible miscalculation

"Terrible" replaces "gross", indicating the awfulness of the error.

grave miscalculation

"Grave" replaces "gross", highlighting the seriousness of the miscalculation.

huge oversight

Replaces "miscalculation" with "oversight", implying something was missed, and "gross" with "huge" to denote scale.

FAQs

How can I use "gross miscalculation" in a sentence?

You can use "gross miscalculation" to describe a significant error in judgment or calculation, often with serious consequences. For example: "The company's decision to invest heavily in that failing project was a "gross miscalculation" that led to substantial financial losses."

What can I say instead of "gross miscalculation"?

You can use alternatives like "egregious error", "major blunder", or "significant misjudgment" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "gross miscalculation" or "major miscalculation"?

Both ""gross miscalculation"" and "major miscalculation" are correct. "Gross" emphasizes the obviousness or extent of the error, while "major" simply highlights its significance. The choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

What's the difference between "gross miscalculation" and "simple miscalculation"?

A ""gross miscalculation"" implies a substantial error with significant ramifications, whereas a "miscalculation" (without "gross") suggests a more ordinary, less consequential error. The addition of "gross" elevates the severity of the misjudgment.