miscalculate

USAGE SUMMARY

'miscalculate' is a correct and usable word in written English.
You can use it to describe any situation in which an incorrect calculation or estimation has been made. For example: "The bank miscalculated the interest rate on my loan, costing me hundreds of extra dollars."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The intelligence community believed that without some intervention the two parties could miscalculate — and miscalculation could lead to a nuclear exchange".

The New Yorker

People under this degree of constant pressure are, from time to time, going to miscalculate.

The Guardian - Opinion

Given the size of China's population, it would be easy to miscalculate the numbers by a few million here or there.

The Economist

For unless America is given as strong a diplomatic hand as possible this time, North Korea may miscalculate that it can again cheat and get away with it.

The Economist

And the Islamists could yet miscalculate, as they have done before.

The Economist

Might Mr Chen miscalculate that China's leaders would be too concerned about a boycott in the run-up to the games to try thwart an independence bid?Despite the furore back in 2001 when the Bush administration agreed to help Taiwan buy more advanced aircraft, ships and submarines, Mr Chen's government has yet to make the purchases.

The Economist

Even on election day its leaders still seemed confident that disgust with Mr Mugabe's often violent rule was sufficient to level the playing field.Did they miscalculate?

The Economist

"For more than 30 years, Saddam's pattern has been to coldly miscalculate the odds, with disastrous results for Iraq and its neighbours".Khrushchev was at least bound by a political structure that limited his conduct.

The Economist

That could prompt them to miscalculate and provoke a military clash.

The Economist

Mitsubishi has acknowledged that the software error caused it to miscalculate the velocity of the steam flow in the replacement generators.

The Economist

The Treasury built those higher revenues into its forecasts, but they have turned out to be a blip, which leaves a hole in Mr Brown's sums.Any chancellor can miscalculate tax revenues: the margin of error in forecasting public borrowing a year ahead is £10 billion.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "miscalculate" to emphasize the potential negative consequences of making an error in judgment.

Common error

While "miscalculate" is widely understood, it can sound overly formal in casual conversation. Consider using simpler alternatives like "get it wrong" or "mess up" when speaking or writing informally.

Linguistic Context

The word "miscalculate" primarily functions as a verb. It describes the action of calculating something incorrectly, whether it's a numerical value or a strategic outcome. This is supported by Ludwig AI's grammatical status as "Correct" and the example sentences provided.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Formal & Business

16%

Science

17%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "miscalculate" is a verb used to describe making an incorrect calculation or judgment. As Ludwig AI confirms, the term is grammatically sound and widely used, particularly in News & Media sources. When writing, consider the formality of your context, as simpler alternatives may be more suitable for informal settings. Remember that "miscalculate" implies an error in the process of calculating or judging something that causes potential or realized negative consequences.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

be off in one's calculations

A more informal and direct way to say someone made an error while calculating.

make an incorrect estimate

Replaces "miscalculate" with a more descriptive phrase, emphasizing the estimation aspect.

get the wrong figure

Focuses on a numerical mistake, implying an incorrect result was obtained.

err in calculation

Focuses specifically on errors made in a calculation, removing the broader judgment aspect.

make a faulty assessment

Shifts the focus to the assessment process being flawed, rather than the calculation itself.

misjudge

Simplifies the phrase to a single verb, focusing on the error in judgment rather than calculation.

arrive at an incorrect conclusion

Emphasizes the final outcome of the miscalculation, which is a wrong conclusion.

underestimate

Implies a specific type of miscalculation where the actual value is higher than the estimated one.

overestimate

Implies a specific type of miscalculation where the actual value is lower than the estimated one.

be wrong in one's reckoning

A more formal and somewhat archaic way of expressing the idea of miscalculating.

FAQs

How to use "miscalculate" in a sentence?

You can use "miscalculate" to describe making an incorrect calculation or judgment, as in "The company "miscalculated" the demand for its new product".

What can I say instead of "miscalculate"?

You can use alternatives like "underestimate", "overestimate", or "misjudge" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "miscalculate" or "recalculate"?

"Miscalculate" means to calculate incorrectly, while "recalculate" means to calculate again. Use "miscalculate" when referring to an error, and "recalculate" when repeating a calculation.

What's the difference between "miscalculate" and "misjudge"?

"Miscalculate" generally refers to errors in numerical or quantifiable estimations, while "misjudge" refers to errors in assessing situations or people.