1. To assess a quantity, value or capability as greater than it actually is.
2. An assessment higher than the relevant actual quantity, value or capability.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- overestimate an effect
- overestimate a capacity
On the page
The model overestimated the effect in the smaller groups.
The proposal overestimated the existing system’s capacity.
Nearby words
Opposite meanings
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- overestimate
- Past tense
- overestimated
- Past participle
- overestimated
- Present participle
- overestimating
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- overestimate
- Present continuous
- am/is/are overestimating
- Present perfect
- have/has overestimated
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been overestimating
- Past
- overestimated
- Past continuous
- was/were overestimating
- Past perfect
- had overestimated
- Past perfect continuous
- had been overestimating
- Future
- will overestimate
- Future continuous
- will be overestimating
- Future perfect
- will have overestimated
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been overestimating
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: academic / formal. Forms: overestimate; overestimates; overestimated; overestimated; overestimating; noun singular overestimate; noun plural overestimates. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: renewed assessment, explicit formulation, classification and framing. Disciplines: academic writing, formal analysis. Commonness: moderately common. Third-person singular: overestimates.
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