underestimate

/ˌʌndərˈɛstɪmeɪt/
noun
  1. An estimate that is too low; a judgment that something is smaller or less important than it actually is.
    • The budget was based on a serious underestimate of the costs.
    • The company's underestimate of demand led to product shortages.
    • His underestimate of the time needed caused us to miss the deadline.
verb
  1. To think that something is smaller, less important, or less powerful than it really is.
    • Never underestimate the power of a good night's sleep.
    • They underestimated the cost of the project by thousands of dollars.
    • He underestimated the difficulty of the exam and didn't study enough.
  2. To think that someone has less ability or skill than they actually have.
    • I underestimated my little brother's ability to solve the puzzle.
    • The team underestimated their opponent and lost the game.
    • Don't underestimate her; she's a very talented musician.
What does "underestimate" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean