estimate

estimate — verb

1. to try to judge the size, cost, value, or amount of something, often by using av

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2
Definition

to try to judge the size, cost, value, or amount of something, often by using available information rather than counting or measuring exactly

Example

The builder estimated the cost of repairing the roof at around two thousand dollars.

estimate + noun + at + amount

Megan estimated that the journey from London to Edinburgh would take about five hours by car.

estimate + that-clause

Common collocations
  • estimate the cost
  • estimate the value
  • estimate the size
  • estimate the number
  • estimate roughly
  • estimate conservatively
Synonyms
  • calculate

    more precise and mathematical; implies exact measurement or computation rather than approximation

  • gauge

    suggests judging an amount or extent by observation or experience rather than by calculation

  • approximate

    focuses on giving a rough number without claiming accuracy; more informal than 'estimate'

Grammar Patterns

estimate + noun phrase

estimate + noun + at + amount

estimate + that-clause

estimate + wh-word clause

estimate + noun + to be + complement

Usage Note

Frequently used with the prepositions 'at' (estimate the damage at £2,000) and 'to be' (estimate the population to be 50,000). In professional and business contexts, the passive form is very common: The project was estimated to cost nearly a million pounds.

Common Mistakes

I estimated the price exactly.
I estimated the price roughly.
an estimate is always approximate, so avoid using it with words like 'exactly' or 'precisely.'
He estimated the answer and got it right.
He guessed the answer and got it right.
'estimate' suggests a reasoned judgment using information, not a random guess.

2. to form an opinion about what is likely to happen or be true, based on the facts

2.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to form an opinion about what is likely to happen or be true, based on the facts you know

Example

The government estimates that the new policy will create around ten thousand new jobs next year.

estimate + that-clause for future prediction

Noor estimated from the dark clouds that a storm was moving in from the coast.

estimate + from + evidence + that-clause

Common collocations
  • estimate that
  • estimate from
  • difficult to estimate
Synonyms
  • reckon

    more informal and common in British English; can mean the same as 'believe likely'

  • judge

    broader than 'estimate' in sense 2; can also imply a formal or legal evaluation

  • believe

    less analytical than 'estimate'; focuses on personal conviction rather than a reasoned opinion

Grammar Patterns

estimate + that-clause

Usage Note

Almost always followed by a that-clause. Less common than sense 1 in everyday conversation and more typical of formal or analytical contexts such as economics, weather forecasting, and project planning.

Common Mistakes

I estimate him as a kind person.
I consider him a kind person.
for personal opinions about character or quality, use 'consider,' 'regard,' or 'judge' rather than 'estimate.'

estimate — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words involve arriving at a number or judgment, but they differ in method and precision. 'Calculate' implies step-by-step mathematical work with exact numbers — you calculate a monthly budget by adding bills, not by guessing. 'Gauge' suggests judging something through observation or experience, like gauging the distance between two cars before overtaking. 'Approximate' focuses on providing an intentionally imprecise figure — you approximate the number of people at a concert by counting rows instead of individuals. 'Reckon' (informal, especially British) overlaps with both 'estimate' and 'calculate,' as in 'I reckon it will take about an hour.' Use 'estimate' when you want a neutral, reasonably careful but non-exact judgment — for instance, an electrician gives you an estimate of repair costs, not a calculation (which sounds too precise) or a gauge (which sounds too observational).

calculate ↗gauge ↗approximate ↗reckon ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • rough estimate
  • ballpark estimate
  • written estimate
  • official estimate
  • best estimate
  • initial estimate

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Estimate comes from the Latin word 'aestimare,' which meant to value, appraise, or determine the worth of something. The word entered English in the 1500s through French, first used for placing a value on property or goods. Over time, its meaning broadened from financial valuation to any kind of reasoned guess or judgment about size, cost, or probability.