overestimate

1.

/ˌoʊvəˈrɛstəˌmeɪt/

make too high an approximation of

2.

/ˈoʊvərˈɛstəmɪt/

an appraisal that is too high

Other forms: overestimated; overestimating; overestimates

If you're confident your favorite team will win the championship even though the star player is injured, you may want to reconsider: don't let your team spirit cause you to overestimate, or overvalue, the team's abilities.

When you estimate something, you make a calculation or a judgment of its value. So, when you overestimate, you assign too much value to the thing you are judging. If you overestimate how much time you have left to get to school, you could be late. Likewise, if you overestimate how prepared you are for a test, you might end up with a poor grade. This verb is the opposite of underestimate, or “to assign too little value.”

Definitions of overestimate (/ˌoʊvəˈrɛstəˌmeɪt/)

1. verb

   make too high an estimate of
   “He overestimated his own powers”

   synonyms: overrate

   antonyms:

   underestimate

   make too low an estimate of

   types:

   overcapitalise, overcapitalize

   overestimate the market value of

   type of:

   misjudge

   judge incorrectly
2. verb

   assign too high a value to
   “You are overestimating the value of your old car”

   synonyms: overvalue

   antonyms:

   underestimate

   assign too low a value to

   type of:

   value

   fix or determine the value of; assign a value to