overestimate

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'overestimate' is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it when you want to say that someone has formed an opinion or judgement of something that is too high or too favourable. Example sentence: It is important not to overestimate other people's opinions of us.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It would be hard to overestimate how much the debates helped Gingrich.

The Guardian - Opinion

One fact to ponder is that voters who declare themselves Ukip supporters are less likely to overestimate the size of the immigrant population than declared Labour voters.

The Guardian

The present tense – "declining" rather than "former" or "sunken" – suggests an overestimate of Britain's status on the part of the writer, but perhaps only in the negative sense that its downward journey isn't yet quite complete.

The Guardian - Opinion

But he worries that people overestimate him.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Nevertheless, the elements that she enjoys most about her course economic history, British social reforms are those that place her learning within a larger narrative context.Perhaps politicians overestimate their ability to influence the classroom, whichever approach they favour.

The Economist

Retail investors may overestimate the likely returns on their portfolios but so do the vast majority of American state and local pension funds.

The Economist

Research has suggested that chief executives consistently overestimate their influence on a company.

The Economist

Alan Abramowitz, a professor of political science at Emory, voiced his discipline's conventional wisdom this summer to the Washington Post:"When you're in the middle of a campaign, there's a tendency for people, especially the media, to overestimate the importance of certain events," Abramowitz says.

The Economist

The way campaigns play out is largely determined by fundamentals.So I was amused, and slightly put out, when, in the wake of the re-release of Mitt Romney's infamous 47% remarks, a number of prominent figures in the media leaped at the chance to overestimate its significance.

The Economist

There is some evidence that people now overestimate the risks of smoking.But such campaigns can also have nasty side effects, Mr Glaeser argues.

The Economist

Research by McKinsey, a consultancy, provides one explanation: close to two-thirds of managers overestimate the economies of scale a merger will deliver, often overegging the benefits by more than 25%.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "overestimate", consider the context to ensure it accurately reflects the intended meaning. It's often used to describe situations where expectations or predictions are higher than reality.

Common error

While both relate to inflating something, "overestimate" refers to misjudging a quantity or value, whereas "exaggerate" involves embellishing a statement or description. Use "overestimate" when dealing with numbers or assessments, and "exaggerate" when describing qualities or events.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "overestimate" is as a transitive verb. It signifies the act of judging or calculating something to be greater than it actually is. As Ludwig AI explains, the word is correct and can be used in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "overestimate" is a transitive verb that describes the act of judging or calculating something to be higher than it actually is. Ludwig AI confirms that this word is correct and appropriate for use in written English. It's frequently used in news, business, and scientific contexts, indicating a neutral register. While "overestimate" is often confused with "exaggerate", it's important to remember that "overestimate" specifically relates to quantities or values. To enhance your writing, ensure that the context aligns with the intended meaning and explore alternatives like "overvalue" or "overrate" to diversify your vocabulary.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

overvalue

Focuses on assigning an excessive monetary or abstract worth.

overrate

Implies a higher opinion or estimation of someone or something than is deserved.

misjudge

Emphasizes an incorrect assessment or judgment.

exaggerate the importance of

Highlights the act of amplifying the significance of something.

over-emphasize

Focuses on giving undue emphasis to something.

inflate expectations

Implies creating an unrealistically high level of anticipation.

overstate

Highlights the act of describing something in an exaggerated way.

magnify

Implies making something appear larger or more significant than it is.

over reckon

Focuses on making an excessive calculation or estimation.

put too much weight on

Emphasizes assigning excessive importance or influence.

FAQs

How can I use "overestimate" in a sentence?

Use "overestimate" when you want to express that someone is judging something to be better, larger, or more important than it actually is. For example, "Don't overestimate your abilities in the interview."

What's the difference between "overestimate" and "overrate"?

"Overestimate" usually refers to a numerical value or quantity, whereas "overrate" typically refers to someone's opinion or quality of something.

What can I say instead of "overestimate"?

You can use alternatives like "overvalue", "misjudge", or "overrate" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "overestimate" or "underestimate"?

Both "overestimate" and "underestimate" are correct, but they have opposite meanings. "Overestimate" means to estimate something as being larger or greater than it actually is, while "underestimate" means to estimate something as being smaller or less important than it actually is.