miscalculate

verb

mis·​cal·​cu·​late ˌmis-ˈkal-kyə-ˌlāt How to pronounce miscalculate (audio)
miscalculated; miscalculating

transitive + intransitive

: to calculate wrongly : to make a miscalculation
This fall, publishers badly miscalculated the public's appetite for celebrity tell-alls.Patrick M. Reilly
… the bosses simply weren't ready when it turned out they had miscalculated badly.Kevin Drum

Examples of miscalculate in a Sentence

they miscalculated how difficult the mountainous trek would be
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Aside from underestimating the vulnerabilities of Russia’s military, analysts have suggested that Moscow also miscalculated the support Russia would receive from Ukrainians in the country’s east who have close ethnic ties to Russia. Ben Horne, The Conversation, 21 May 2025 One risk is that the pilots will miscalculate which way the other aircraft is moving; another is identifying the wrong aircraft. Kate Kelly, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025 Stunt work in film and television is such a diverse and challenging craft with serious real world sacrifices and consequences if miscalculated. Lynette Rice, Deadline, 11 Apr. 2025 Interestingly, DeChambeau isn't the first golfer to miscalculate an important tournament detail—others have had their moments of confusion. Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for miscalculate

Word History

First Known Use

1633, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of miscalculate was in 1633

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Cite this Entry

“Miscalculate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/miscalculate. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

miscalculate

verb
mis·​cal·​cu·​late
(ˈ)mis-ˈkal-kyə-ˌlāt
: to calculate wrongly : make a mistake in calculation
miscalculation
ˌmis-ˌkal-kyə-ˈlā-shən
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on miscalculate

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