Full definition of misunderestimate
Verb
- (colloquial, malapropism or intentionally incorrect) To underestimate by mistake.
- 1897 April 17, "American Diplomacy on the Bosphorous," The Outlook:. . .is almost sure to misunderstand and misunderestimate the significance of the question at hand.
- 1975, Thomas Merton, My Argument With the Gestapo:Now in the very earliest years of the eighteenth century it is understandable that, owing to the inevitable, due to our never-to-be-misunderestimated Frederick the Gross . . .
- 1980, "Accident at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Powerplant: Oversight Hearings":And I think after Three Mile Island, not only does the NRC itself understand that it sadly misunderestimated the number of ways in . . .
- 1992, Adelbert Denaux, John and the Synoptics :. . . not only the disciples within their accounts, had seriously misunderestimated the life and teaching of Jesus.
- 1997 Aug. 29, John Conyers (D-MI), "Delivers Remarks to the Department of Agriculture's Coalition of Minority Employees":Whatever happened to Espy? Well, what happened to Espy is what happens to people whether you're a former congressman or not. If you understand the power -- if you misunderestimate the power of the intense bureaucracy in these agencies and departments and federal institutions, you go, they stay.
- 2003 April 30, Joel Connelly, Seattle Post-Intelligencer:Hence, while anticipating incoming fire, here are several factors for why even the most liberal of Democrats should not "misunderestimate" — my favorite Bushism — our prez.
- 2004, Bill Sammon, Misunderestimated: The President Battles Terrorism, John Kerry, and the Bush Haters, ISBN 0060723831, page 347:"I think that anybody who misunderestimates this president is going to have egg on their face in a few years," Rice told me.
