A miscalculation is an error in figuring something out, usually involving numbers, measurements, or predictions about what will happen. When an engineer makes a miscalculation while designing a bridge, the measurements might be wrong and the bridge could be unsafe. When a baker miscalculates how much flour to use, the cake might turn out flat or crumbly.

Miscalculations can be simple math mistakes, like adding 47 plus 38 and getting 84 instead of 85. But they can also be errors in judgment or planning. A soccer coach who miscalculates how tired her players are might keep them in the game too long. A student who miscalculates how much time homework will take might stay up past bedtime trying to finish.

The word emphasizes that someone tried to calculate or figure something out but got it wrong. It's different from a wild guess. When you miscalculate, you were attempting to be careful and accurate, but something went wrong in your thinking or arithmetic. Scientists, architects, and anyone working with numbers or predictions can make miscalculations. The key is catching them before they cause problems, and learning from them when they do.