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to overcount

to overcount

1 5.9
To count something more than once, making the total too high
  • verb
  • /ˈoʊvərˌkaʊnt/
translation icon : sobrecontar
  • The accountant found that they had overcounted the expenses by including some costs twice.

I kind of overcounted because there's permutation IJKJKIN.

Examples

  • The researchers realized they had overcounted the number of participants in the study during their initial tally.

  • OK, so this way we overcount and then we need to divide.

  • You may not know this, but they they might be overcounting COVID deaths at the hospital.

  • We will need to do a better job of counting (or we will overcount) how many people are actually covered.

    Blog text (32)
  • We have explained and demonstrated the overcounting paradox many times to you.

    Blog text (29)
  • In the past, though, the Minnesota poll always overcounted Democrats by substantial margins.

    Blog text (27)
  • The Census Bureau noted that its 2000 count overcounted 1.3 million people, most of them wealthy whites with multiple residences, while missing about 4.5 million others, mostly blacks and Hispanics.

    Blog text (15)
  • After reviewing the data, it became clear that the team had overcounted the votes in the election.

Synonyms

to miscount
vsto overcount
3 3.7

To count something wrong

reports totals too high by counting items more than once
overstated
vsto overcount
4.6

Makes something seem bigger or more important than it really is

gives higher numbers because of actual counting items more than once

How Inflated

to overcount
1 5.9
overestimate
1 4.9
count
780 1.0

Surface Forms

overcount infinitive
overcounted past participle
overcounting present participle
overcounts third person singular

Morphology

overcount = count (transparent) = over + count

The prefix 'over-' clearly indicates an excess or surplus, making the meaning 'to count excessively' transparent.

Etymology

The verb overcount combines the prefix over- meaning 'too much' (seen in overeat) and count meaning 'to count', so to overcount is to count something more than once or to report a number that is too high.