underestimating

Verb

underestimate (third-person singular simple present underestimates, present participle underestimating, simple past and past participle underestimated)

1. (transitive) To estimate too low; to perceive (someone or something) as having a lower value, quantity, worth, etc., than what he/she/it actually has.
   • It recalls the business case for Scotland's reopening of the Borders Railway to Tweedbank, that British Rail closed in 1969. The review says the business case for this was at best borderline, but goes on to say that the case greatly underestimated passenger demand and that the railway Scotland...2023 September 6, Philip Haigh, “£30 billion plan to transform the rail network in Ireland”, in RAIL, number 991, page 25

   Synonyms:

   misjudge, misunderestimate, sell short, underapproximate

   Antonyms:

   overapproximate, overestimate, overhold, overrate, overreckon, overstate, overthink

2. (transitive) To perceive or expect (someone or something) to be less significant or difficult than it actually is.
   • I totally underestimated the task.

   Synonyms:

   belittle, make light of, bagatellize, banalize, cut down, de-emphasize, denigrate, degrade, deprecate, derogate

   Antonyms:

   overdo, big up, cut it fat, exaggerate, hyperbolize, overcharge, overemphasize, overstate, play up, stretch

See all 3 meanings of underestimate