calculation
noun
cal·cu·la·tion
ˌkal-kyə-ˈlā-shən 
1
a
: the process or an act of calculating
b
: the result of an act of calculating
2
a
: studied care in analyzing or planning
b
: cold heartless planning to promote self-interest
Examples of calculation in a Sentence
According to experts' calculations, that star will explode within two billion years.
The computer can do millions of calculations each second.
Careful calculation is required to determine the required amount of fuel.
The book reveals the cold calculations that were behind the government's policies.
His positions are based on political calculation of what voters want to hear.
Recent Examples on the Web
For this calculation, the institutional research department compared UC graduates’ earnings to out-of-pocket costs for their degrees and the opportunity costs of forgone wages of high school graduates of the same age.
—
Tarini Mehta,
Sacbee.com,
2 July 2026
The weight assigned to various inputs changes over time in response to events, so the buffer calculation for a material can change daily.
—
Steve Banker,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
These creative calculations suggest a grand total of about 20 million species of insects, many of them with behaviors and physical adaptations and remarkable lives scientists today can only dream of discovering.
—
Elizabeth Anne Brown,
Scientific American,
1 July 2026
Rather than replacing traditional physics calculations, the machine learning system acts as a filter, allowing researchers to focus computational resources on the most promising candidates.
—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for calculation
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Tarini Mehta,
Sacbee.com,
2 July 2026
The weight assigned to various inputs changes over time in response to events, so the buffer calculation for a material can change daily.
—
Steve Banker,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
These creative calculations suggest a grand total of about 20 million species of insects, many of them with behaviors and physical adaptations and remarkable lives scientists today can only dream of discovering.
—
Elizabeth Anne Brown,
Scientific American,
1 July 2026
Rather than replacing traditional physics calculations, the machine learning system acts as a filter, allowing researchers to focus computational resources on the most promising candidates.
—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for calculation
Cite this Entry
“Calculation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/calculation. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
calculation
noun
cal·cu·la·tion
ˌkal-kyə-ˈlā-shən
1
a
: the process or an act of calculating
b
: the result obtained by calculation
2
: care in planning : caution
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