tentative estimate

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "tentative estimate" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when providing an initial or provisional calculation or assessment that is subject to change. Example: "Based on the preliminary data, we have a tentative estimate of the project's cost at around $50,000."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

A tentative estimate for the value of this bonus award is £3,000-10,000 per student.

The Guardian

One tentative estimate of 70,000 years for the eggshell beads appears to strengthen the case for emergent modern behavior among Africans well before the burst of artistic creativity that swept Europe, beginning about 40,000 years ago.

The New York Times - Science

No proper calculations have been done, but a tentative estimate for the United Kingdom puts the lost revenue at £10 billion, or $15.87 billion, a year, according to the Mirrlees Review for last year, which is published by the Institute for Fiscal Studies.

The New York Times

Specifically, the presence of some pilots and slow variation in the channel allows us to get a tentative estimate of the data.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

At the 1st stage, the Wiener filter is implemented in the frequency direction, which separates the received multiuser signals and outputs the tentative estimate corresponding to an individual user.

Computer Communications

The semi-blind algorithm would require a short training sequence of L symbols only at the start of transmission to get a tentative estimate of the data and its reliability and no further pilots or channel statistics would be required.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

Mr. Mohseni says that by his own tentative estimates, Farsi1 has been able to draw several million viewers a day.

The New York Times

"The purpose of this analysis is to provide tentative estimates of the magnitude of employment effects associated with selected federal opposition policies for the state of Victoria," IPA director of policy Simon Breheny says.

The Guardian

Thus, our tentative estimates of the profitability of OA may be overstated.

Field Crops Research

(These figures are even more unobtainable to outsiders, although Costikyan has made some tentative estimates).

Forbes

Only few, and often tentative, estimates of non-compliance to minimum wage regulations are available and mainly for emerging economies.

IZA Journal of Labor Policy

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "tentative estimate", always qualify it with the factors influencing its uncertainty. This adds transparency and context to your statement.

Common error

Avoid presenting a "tentative estimate" as a definitive figure. Clearly indicate its preliminary nature to prevent misunderstanding or misinterpretation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "tentative estimate" functions as a noun phrase, where "tentative" modifies the noun "estimate". According to Ludwig AI, it's used to describe a calculation or assessment that is not yet final or certain.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

31%

Wiki

6%

Less common in

Formal & Business

9%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "tentative estimate" is a phrase used to describe a preliminary or provisional calculation that is subject to change. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and common usage across various contexts, including science, news, and business. It's important to qualify the estimate with the factors contributing to its uncertainty and to avoid presenting it as a definitive value. Alternative phrases include "preliminary calculation", "rough approximation", and "provisional assessment". The phrase's frequency is classified as "common", making it a relatively familiar expression in both written and spoken English. The sources where this phrase is found are generally authoritative. Ludwig AI examples show that the phrase's register is neutral.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

preliminary calculation

Replaces 'estimate' with a more mathematically focused term and 'tentative' with 'preliminary' indicating it's an early calculation.

rough approximation

Emphasizes the inexact nature of the estimate using 'rough' and replaces 'estimate' with 'approximation'.

provisional assessment

Substitutes 'tentative' with 'provisional' to highlight the temporary or conditional nature and uses 'assessment' instead of 'estimate'.

initial guesstimate

Combines 'guess' and 'estimate' into 'guesstimate' for informality, indicating a less precise calculation and replace 'tentative' with 'initial' to describe first attempt.

ballpark figure

Replaces "tentative estimate" with an idiom, indicating an approximate value.

educated guess

Implies some level of knowledge informs the estimate, making it more than a random guess.

working figure

Suggests an estimate used for ongoing calculations, subject to change and replace 'tentative' with 'working'.

approximate calculation

Highlights that the calculation is not exact and can be replaced and use 'calculation' instead of 'estimate'.

early projection

Indicates the estimate is based on forecasting future outcomes and replace 'tentative' with 'early'.

initial assessment

Highlights that assessment is early and uses 'assessment' instead of 'estimate'.

FAQs

What does "tentative estimate" mean?

A "tentative estimate" is a preliminary or provisional calculation or assessment, subject to revision as more information becomes available. It indicates a degree of uncertainty.

How to use "tentative estimate" in a sentence?

You might say, "Based on the initial data, we have a "tentative estimate" of the project's cost at around $50,000," indicating that the figure could change.

Which phrases are similar to "tentative estimate"?

Similar phrases include "preliminary calculation", "rough approximation", or "provisional assessment", each suggesting a degree of uncertainty or incompleteness.

Is "tentative estimate" formal or informal language?

"Tentative estimate" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts, but in highly formal settings, alternatives like "preliminary calculation" or "initial assessment" might be preferred.