significantly underestimated

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "significantly underestimated" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing a situation, value, or outcome that has been evaluated as lower than its actual importance or magnitude. Example: "The impact of climate change has been significantly underestimated by many policymakers."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But BP significantly underestimated how much oil was leaking.

The Economist

That also suggests that past model-based studies likely significantly underestimated the costs of climate change.

The Guardian

Our analysis suggests that this is due to unreported Asian emissions and significantly underestimated USA emissions.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

This was hardly the first time that United States government forecasters significantly underestimated a storm's potential.

The New York Times - Magazine

[Economists] have significantly underestimated the potential for very negative climate impacts on the global economy.

The Guardian

Some countries, like Britain, significantly underestimated the influx that would follow.

The New York Times

Polls significantly underestimated Republican candidates in the 2013 gubernatorial election and 2014 contest for U.S. Senate.

The Washington Post

It deserves credit for admitting that ministers have previously misunderstood and significantly underestimated the probability of flooding.

The Guardian

All of the polls significantly underestimated the Tories, and they were strikingly consistent in how wrong they were.

The Guardian

On those rare occasions when economists did successfully predict recessions, they significantly underestimated the severity of the downturns.

The New York Times - Magazine

That study said the possibility of a collapsed AMOC under global warming conditions is being significantly underestimated.

Yale University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "significantly underestimated" to highlight the gap between initial expectations and reality, emphasizing the need for reevaluation or further investigation.

Common error

Avoid using "significantly underestimated" when the difference is marginal or unsubstantiated. Exaggerating the degree of underestimation weakens your credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "significantly underestimated" functions as a descriptive modifier, indicating that an initial assessment or calculation was substantially lower than the actual value or outcome. According to Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

35%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "significantly underestimated" is a common and grammatically correct way to describe situations where an initial estimate falls substantially short of the actual value or outcome. Ludwig provides numerous examples across various fields, including science, news media, and academia, demonstrating its widespread use. The phrase is appropriate for neutral and formal registers, and alternative phrasings like "grossly undervalued" or "severely miscalculated" can be used to convey similar meanings. It's important to provide context and evidence when using this phrase to support the claim effectively.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

noticeably underestimated

Indicates that the underestimation was easily observable or apparent.

grossly undervalued

Emphasizes a severe level of underestimation, suggesting a considerable discrepancy between perceived and actual worth.

seriously misestimated

Highlights the severity of the misestimation, indicating a critical error in the assessment.

severely miscalculated

Highlights the inaccuracy in the calculation, implying a large error in the estimation process.

substantially understated

Focuses on the act of representing something as less significant than it truly is, often intentionally.

greatly minimized

Indicates a deliberate effort to reduce the perceived importance or impact of something.

markedly discounted

Suggests that something was considered less important or valuable, leading to an underestimation.

considerably downplayed

Implies that the significance of something was deliberately reduced in its presentation or discussion.

largely misjudged

Highlights the error in judgment that led to an incorrect assessment of the situation or value.

heavily underrated

Focuses on the lack of appreciation or recognition, resulting in an underestimation of its worth or potential.

FAQs

How can I use "significantly underestimated" in a sentence?

You can use "significantly underestimated" to describe situations where the magnitude, impact, or value of something was lower than its actual worth. For example, "The impact of the policy change was "significantly underestimated" by policymakers".

What are some alternatives to "significantly underestimated"?

Alternatives include "grossly undervalued", "severely miscalculated", or "substantially understated" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "underestimated significantly" instead of "significantly underestimated"?

While grammatically understandable, "significantly underestimated" is the more common and natural phrasing. The alternative, "underestimated significantly," is less idiomatic and may sound awkward.

What is the difference between "significantly underestimated" and "slightly underestimated"?

"Significantly underestimated" implies a large discrepancy between the estimated and actual value, whereas "slightly underestimated" suggests a minor difference. The former indicates a more substantial error in judgment or assessment.