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to undercount

to undercount

3 5.6
To count fewer people or things than are really present
  • verb
  • /ˌʌndərˈkaʊnt/
translation icon : subcontar
  • So maybe it's continued to undercount jobs since then, as Karl Smith suggests here.
  • undercount the number
  • actually undercount

Examples

  • The coalition is among several advocacy groups that contend the U.S. Census Bureau routinely undercounts homeless people.

    Blog text (2)
  • In addition, the religious data set undercounted African American denominations.

    Academic text (2012)
  • We show how the official economic statistics dramatically undercount the growth of data-driven activities.

    Blog text (1)
  • Indeed, because of the criteria used by the State Department, the published data may actually undercount the number of times the secretary landed in Damascus.

    Academic text (1998)
  • As in other parts of the world, the victims of large dam projects were often undercounted and rendered invisible.

    Academic text (2005)
  • When a student both graduates and transfers, the graduate classification takes precedent, thus undercounting the total number of transfer students.

    Academic text (2012)
  • Conventional wisdom holds that the Mexican census numbers are undercounted.

    Academic text (1996)
  • Historically, the census has undercounted minorities, especially African Americans and Hispanics living in big cities.

    Blog text (15)
  • The Census Bureau, in fact, has routinely undercounted minorities, including new immigrants, many of whom are undocumented and thus avoid any contact with government agencies.

    Academic text (2003)
  • The census may undercount certain populations, leading to inaccurate demographic data.

Synonyms

to underreport
vsto undercount
9 6.0

To say an amount or number is less than it really is

records fewer people or things than are actually present
to underrepresent
vsto undercount
1 5.8

Show something as less common or important than it really is

records numbers as too low in a strict numerical way

Surface Forms

undercount infinitive
undercounted past participle
undercounting present participle
undercounts third person singular

Morphology

undercount = count (transparent) = under + count

Standard verb formation by adding 'under-' to the verb 'count,' yielding 'to count less than the true number.'

Etymology

Undercount comes from under ('less' or 'below') and count ('to number' or 'to add up'), so to undercount is to count fewer people or things than are actually there.