Word.ws English Dictionary

Synonyms of underestimate

33 similar words · 17 opposite words

Another word for underestimate is de-emphasize. Other synonyms of underestimate are downplay, belittle, underrate, understate and trivialize. The opposite of underestimate is overestimate.

Synonyms and similar words for underestimate

verbTo estimate too low; to perceive (someone or something) as having a lower value, quantity, worth...

  • misjudgeTo make an error in judging, to incorrectly assess.
  • misunderestimateTo underestimate mistakenly or wrongly; to misestimate with an error on the lower side.
  • sell shortTo underestimate the value of something; to understate its value.
  • underapproximateTo form an underapproximation of.

verbTo perceive or expect (someone or something) to be less significant or difficult than it actually...

  • belittleTo disparage, depreciate, or minimize the importance, value, merit, or significance of someone or something.
  • make light ofTo regard without due seriousness; to joke about.
  • bagatellizeTo regard as a bagatelle; to play down, trivialize or belittle.
  • banalizeTo make banal or commonplace.
  • cut down
  • de-emphasizeTo remove or reduce the emphasis from something; to make something less important; to play down.
  • denigrateTo treat as worthless; belittle, degrade or disparage.
  • degrade
  • deprecateTo belittle, depreciate.
  • derogateTo detract from (something); to disparage, belittle.
  • disparageTo dishonor by a comparison with what is inferior; to lower in rank or estimation by actions or words; to speak...
  • dispraiseTo notice with disapprobation or some degree of censure; to disparage, to criticize.
  • downplayTo de-emphasize; to present or portray as less important or consequential.
  • lilliputianizeTo make small or petty.
  • make little ofTo belittle.
  • make nothing ofTo consider as trifling or unimportant.
  • minimizeTo treat as trivial or insignificant; to trivialize.
  • play downTo make or attempt to make something seem less important, likely, or obvious.
  • superficializeTo render superficial; to trivialize.
  • trivializeTo make something appear trivial.
  • underplayTo make something seem less important than it really is.
  • understateTo state (something) with less completeness than needed; to minimise or downplay.
  • set at nought archaicTo treat as unimportant or worthless; to despise, disregard, defy, unheed.
  • vilipend dated, formalTo treat (something) as inconsequential or worthless; to despise, to look down on.

nounAn estimate that is too low.

verbMore synonyms

  • underguessTo make a guess that is too small; to underestimate.
  • underjudgeTo judge too little or below accepted standards.
  • underrateTo underestimate; to make too low a rate or estimate.
  • underreckonTo reckon below what is right or proper; to underrate.

Opposite of underestimate

verbTo estimate too low; to perceive (someone or something) as having a lower value, quantity, worth...

  • overapproximateTo form an overapproximation of.
  • overestimateTo judge or calculate too highly.
  • overholdTo overvalue; overestimate; hold or estimate at too dear a rate.
  • overrateTo overstate or overestimate in amount, extent, degree, etc.
  • overreckonTo overestimate.
  • overstateTo state or claim too much.
  • overthink rareTo think too highly (of); overestimate.

verbTo perceive or expect (someone or something) to be less significant or difficult than it actually...

Meaning of underestimate

  1. verb To estimate too low; to perceive (someone or something) as having a lower value, quantity, worth, etc., than what he/she/it actually has.
  2. verb To perceive or expect (someone or something) to be less significant or difficult than it actually is.
  3. noun An estimate that is too low.

Full definition of underestimate

underestimate in other languages

Questions about synonyms of underestimate

What is another word for underestimate?
Underestimate has 33 synonyms on Word.ws, such as de-emphasize, downplay, belittle, underrate, understate, trivialize, denigrate and disparage.
What is the opposite of underestimate?
The opposite of underestimate is overestimate. Other antonyms of underestimate are overstate, overrate, overapproximate, overhold and three-sheet.
What does underestimate mean?
Underestimate means to estimate too low; to perceive (someone or something) as having a lower value, quantity, worth, etc., than what he/she/it actually has.

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: underestimate (page history and authors) and the entries of the words listed. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws grouped the synonyms and antonyms by meaning and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Cite this page: “Synonyms of underestimate.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/underestimate. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.