underestimation
Selling something short
Underestimation is judging something to be smaller, weaker, or less significant than it actually is.
The word applies to quantities, abilities, or challenges: The underestimation of costs derailed the project.
To underestimate an opponent is to assume they pose less threat than they do—often a costly mistake.
Judge below true merit
- underappreciateInsufficiently recognize merit
- undervalueEstimate below true worth
- belittleTo make something seem unimportant
- diminishTo make smaller
downplay · minimize · discount · trivialize · sell short · overlook · dismiss · depreciate
Tally that's too low
- miscountError in enumeration
- errorFault in communication
- inaccuracyLack of precision
- misjudgmentFaulty evaluation of something
misreckoning · oversight · shortfall · underassessment · miscounting · lowballing · underreporting · margin of error
Ruinous excessive confidence
- arroganceExcessive self-importance
- complacencyUncritical satisfaction with oneself
- naivetyInnocent lack of experience
- presumptionBelief held without proof
blind spot · overoptimism · carelessness · recklessness · unpreparedness · shortsightedness · tunnel vision · wishful thinking
underrate
Judge below true merit
- underappreciateInsufficiently recognize merit
- undervalueEstimate below true worth
- belittleTo make something seem unimportant
diminish · downplay · minimize · discount · trivialize · sell short · overlook · dismiss · depreciate · slight
undercount
Tally that's too low
- miscountError in enumeration
- errorFault in communication
- inaccuracyLack of precision
misjudgment · misreckoning · oversight · shortfall · underassessment · miscounting · lowballing · underreporting · margin of error · misestimate
hubris
Ruinous excessive confidence
- arroganceExcessive self-importance
- complacencyUncritical satisfaction with oneself
- naivetyInnocent lack of experience
presumption · blind spot · overoptimism · carelessness · recklessness · unpreparedness · shortsightedness · tunnel vision · wishful thinking · cognitive bias
- human flawsmistake, error, flaw, fault, failing
- misjudgmentsmisjudgment, mistake, error, blunder, miscalculation
- Strategic Mistakesmiscalculation, overconfidence, poor timing, overextension, overcommitment
- being overlookedneglect, dismissal, unnoticed, oversight, disregard
- dismissive behaviorssnub, scorn, ignore, disdain, dismissal
- foolishnessfoolishness, silliness, foolish, stupid, folly
underestimationoverestimation
Judging something too high
overestimate · overvaluation · overrating · exaggeration · overassessment
underestimationoverestimation
Judging something too high
overvaluation · overrating · overpraise · flattery · aggrandizement