Which to use
“estimated” is an adjective and “estimates” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #2,388
- “estimated” frequency rank
- #4,300
- “estimates” frequency rank
- 6688
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | estimated | estimates |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | That is an estimate. | plural of estimate |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set estimated and estimates apart are highlighted. They share 8 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
estimated and estimates form a confusable pair in the English index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They differ by a single letter - d in “estimated” becomes s in “estimates” - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 6688, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
estimated is recorded at frequency rank #2,388, classified as anadj, pronounced /ˈɛstəˌmeɪtɪd/. estimates is at rank #4,300, tagged as anoun, pronounced /ˈɛstəməts/.
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 6688, this pair ranks #510,397 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "estimated" and "estimates" be used interchangeably?
Remembering estimated vs estimates
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need an adjective, it's “estimated”; for a noun, it's “estimates”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “estimated” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable