Overestimating: meaning, definitions and examples

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overestimating

 

[ ˌoʊvərˈɛstɪmeɪtɪŋ ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

judgment error

Overestimating refers to the act of making an inaccurate assessment that something is greater or more significant than it actually is. This can pertain to the evaluation of abilities, risks, or outcomes. It is often seen in various fields such as finance, psychology, and everyday decision-making.

Synonyms

exaggerate, inflate, overrate

Examples of usage

  • Investors often fall into the trap of overestimating future profits.
  • She was overestimating her ability to complete the project in one week.
  • By overestimating the risks, he missed a valuable opportunity.
  • Teachers may sometimes overestimate a student's understanding of the material.

Translations

Translations of the word "overestimating" in other languages:

🇵🇹 superestimando

🇮🇳 अधिक मूल्यांकन करना

🇩🇪 Überschätzung

🇮🇩 melebih-lebihkan

🇺🇦 перебільшення

🇵🇱 przeszacowanie

🇯🇵 過大評価する

🇫🇷 sous-estimation

🇪🇸 sobreestimación

🇹🇷 abartmak

🇰🇷 과대평가하다

🇸🇦 تقدير مبالغ فيه

🇨🇿 nadhodnocení

🇸🇰 nadhodnotenie

🇨🇳 高估

🇸🇮 pretiravanje

🇮🇸 ofmat

🇰🇿 артық бағалау

🇬🇪 გარკვეული შეფასება

🇦🇿 şişirdilmiş qiymətləndirmə

🇲🇽 sobreestimación

Etymology

The term 'overestimate' is a combination of the prefix 'over-' meaning above or beyond, and the verb 'estimate', which derives from Latin 'estimare', meaning to appraise or value. The prefix 'over-' has been used in English since the Middle Ages to indicate excess or exaggeration. 'Estimate' has been a part of the English language since the late Middle English period, and its usage evolved as the need for quantifying value and measurement grew in commerce and academia. The concept of overestimating has significant implications in various fields, particularly in psychology and economics, where understanding the nuances of risk and reward evaluations is crucial. Over time, the use of 'overestimating' has extended beyond mathematical contexts to include emotional and behavioral assessments, illustrating the breadth of human cognitive biases.

Word Frequency Rank

This word's position of #32,882 indicates it's among the more rare English words. While understanding it broadens your vocabulary, focus on more common words first.