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Overestimated Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

๐Ÿ’ญ
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overestimated

[หŒoสŠvษ™rหˆษ›stษ™หŒmeษชtษชd ]

Definition

Context #1 | Verb

in a situation

To estimate or value someone or something too highly or too much.

Synonyms

exaggerate, inflate, overrate, overvalue.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
overestimated

This term is used when someone has given something or someone more value, ability, or importance than it actually has. It can apply to predictions, assessments or expectations.

  • The company's profits were overestimated, leading to a drop in their stock price when the actual results came out
overvalue

Similar to overrate but often used in financial contexts, this term means assigning too high a value to something, such as a stock, property, or asset.

  • The real estate market in that area is overvalued, so be careful not to overpay for a house there
exaggerate

This word is often used when talking about someone making something seem more significant or severe than it really is, whether in storytelling, marketing, or daily conversations.

  • She tends to exaggerate her travel stories, making them sound more adventurous than they were
inflate

Inflate is typically used in financial contexts or with numbers, indicating that someone has artificially increased the value or quantity of something.

  • The accountant was caught trying to inflate the sales figures to make the company appear more profitable
overrate

This word is used to describe giving too much credit or evaluation to something or someone, often in the context of opinions about quality or performance.

  • The movie was good, but I felt it was overrated; it didn't live up to the hype

Examples of usage

  • He overestimated his abilities and ended up failing the exam.
  • She tends to overestimate the amount of time it will take to complete a project.
  • Don't overestimate the importance of this meeting; it's just a casual discussion.
  • I think we may have overestimated the demand for this product.
  • The manager overestimated the budget for the project, and now we are facing financial issues.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Interesting Facts

Psychology

  • Cognitive biases often lead people to overestimate their abilities, which can be associated with the Dunning-Kruger effect, where less knowledgeable individuals overrate their expertise.
  • Studies show that people frequently overestimate their chances of future success or happiness, affecting planning and goal-setting.
  • People tend to overestimate the duration of emotional responses to events, believing they will last longer than they do.

Pop Culture

  • In movies, characters often overestimate their chances in risky situations, leading to comedic or dramatic effects.
  • Social media influencers can sometimes overestimate the impact of their posts, believing that every upload will go viral.

Economics

  • In market forecasts, analysts may overestimate growth rates, leading to inaccurate predictions that could impact investments.
  • Consumers often overestimate the value of brands, propelling companies to charge higher prices despite similar alternatives.

Education

  • Students sometimes overestimate their understanding of difficult subjects, which can result in poor test performance.
  • Teachers may overestimate the time students need to grasp new concepts, leading to less efficient lesson planning.

Origin of 'overestimated'

Main points about word origin

  • The word comes from combining 'over,' meaning too much, and 'estimate,' which means to judge the value or importance of something.
  • First recorded use of overestimate dates back to the late 1800s, highlighting a long history of evaluating things inaccurately.

The word 'overestimated' is a combination of the prefix 'over-' meaning 'too much' or 'beyond' and the verb 'estimate' which comes from the Latin word 'estimare' meaning 'to assess' or 'to value'. The term has been used in English since the late 18th century to describe the act of valuing something too highly.

See also: estimate, estimated, estimates, estimating, estimation, estimations, estimator, inestimable, misestimation, overestimate, overestimation, underestimate, underestimated, underestimating, underestimation.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #18,229, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.