undercount

American  

[uhn-der-kount, uhn-der-kount] / ˌʌn dərˈkaʊnt, ˈʌn dərˌkaʊnt /

verb (used with object)

1. to count less than the full number or amount of.

   The mayor claimed the census had undercounted the city's population.

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noun

1. a count or total that is less than the actual number or amount.

Etymology

Origin of undercount

First recorded in 1950–55; under- + count ¹

Example Sentences

That’s all but certain to be an undercount, and by a wide margin.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 24, 2025

"These incidents include only those that HRL corroborated through either remote sensing, open source documentation, or a combination of both methods and are likely an undercount," its report said.

From BBC • Oct. 15, 2025

The land of a thousand hills, Rwanda’s called—an egregious undercount.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 10, 2025

Per the descriptions, three intend to use SB 9, but that number is an undercount, said Devin Myrick, the department’s assistant deputy superintendent of building.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 30, 2025

Outside clearings do not undercount outside check deposits nearly to the extent that Professor Fisher assumes.

From The Value of Money by Anderson, Benjamin M.