o·ver·es·ti·mate1 /ˌəʊvərˈestɪmeɪt $ ˌoʊ-/ ●○○ AWL verb [transitiveT] 1 JUDGEto think something is better, more important etc than it really is 对…估计过好,对…估计过高 OPP underestimate He tends to overestimate his own abilities. 他往往高估自己的能力。
The importance of training in health and safety cannot be overestimated (=is extremely important). 对健康和安全方面的培训极为重要。
2 GUESSto guess an amount or value that is too high 对〔数额或价值〕估计过高 OPP underestimate Most patients overestimated how long they had had to wait to see a doctor. 大多数病人对看医生所需的等待时间估计过长了。
n COLLOCATIONSphrasessomething cannot be overestimated (also something can hardly be overestimated) (=used to emphasize that something is very important)His influence on rock music cannot be overestimated.
The importance of good medical care can hardly be overestimated.
it is hard/difficult to overestimate something (=used to emphasize that something is very important)It is hard to overestimate the effect the war has had on these children.
it is easy to overestimate something (=used to say that something is not as important as some people think)It is easy to overestimate the effect of prison on criminals.
adverbsconsistently overestimate somethingThe CIA consistently overestimated the Soviet Union's military strength.
seriously overestimate somethingWe seriously overestimated how much confidence he had in himself.
massively/grossly/vastly etc overestimate somethingWestern countries massively overestimated the extent of the problem.
cannot be overestimated• The significance of these changes cannot be overestimated.
From Longman Business Dictionary
overestimateo·ver·es·ti·mate /ˌəʊvərˈestəmeɪtˌoʊ-/ verb [transitiveT] to think that something is larger or greater than it really isForecasters had underestimated growth and overestimated inflation by about 0.5% a year.
—overestimate /-ˈestəmət/ noun [countableC]The figure of 30% is clearly an overestimate.