underpredict

Guess too conservatively

To underpredict is to forecast or estimate something as lower than it turns out to be.

Weather models may underpredict rainfall totals; economists underpredict inflation.

The word implies the prediction fell short of reality: The model consistently underpredicted voter turnout in urban areas.

conservatism

lowball

Deliberately understate cost

understateExpress with restraint
downplayDiminish perceived importance
cautiousCareful to avoid risk

pessimistic · hedge · restrained · modest · reserved · conservative · risk-averse · deflate · underquote · sandbag

error

underestimate

Judge too low

miscalculateCompute incorrectly
undercountTally that's too low
shortfallFailure to reach quota

inaccuracy · discrepancy · underestimation · deficit · gap · underassess · misestimate · oversight · miss · undervalue

consequence

surprise

Unexpected event causing astonishment

unexpectedNot anticipated beforehand
unforeseenNot predicted or expected
unanticipatedNot predicted beforehand

shortfall · unprepared · overwhelmed · caught off guard · exceeded · surpassed · outpaced · blindsided · understocked · underresourced

Opposites

prediction accuracy direction

underpredictoverpredict

Forecast exceeding actual outcomes

overestimate · overshoot · exaggerate · overstate · inflate

Family

prediction, predictive, predictor, predictions, predictability, unpredicted, predictors, mispredict, mispredicted

Familiarity: Top 1,000,000
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