as in roughly
close to but not exactly
it takes approximately three hours to drive to Dallas
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of approximately
In November, the Department of Justice seized approximately 73,000 products containing 7-OH from three Kansas City warehouses operated by Sanders in connection to a civil forfeiture case.
—
Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 24 Jan. 2026
While lavender is globally prized for its fragrance, its agricultural residue—totaling approximately 1,000–1,500 tons annually—has long been an underutilized byproduct.
—Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 24 Jan. 2026
The department urged drivers to be aware of black ice and stay about 200 feet, approximately the length of two basketball courts, behind trucks if travel is absolutely necessary.
—Matt Nighswander, NBC news, 24 Jan. 2026
So far, 405 households, which represent approximately 700 people, are able to return to their homes.
—Mark Prussin, CBS News, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for approximately
Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 24 Jan. 2026
While lavender is globally prized for its fragrance, its agricultural residue—totaling approximately 1,000–1,500 tons annually—has long been an underutilized byproduct.
—Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 24 Jan. 2026
The department urged drivers to be aware of black ice and stay about 200 feet, approximately the length of two basketball courts, behind trucks if travel is absolutely necessary.
—Matt Nighswander, NBC news, 24 Jan. 2026
So far, 405 households, which represent approximately 700 people, are able to return to their homes.
—Mark Prussin, CBS News, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for approximately
Recent Examples of Synonyms for approximately
Adverb
-
Lanes of South El Camino Real and the westbound Highway 92 off-ramp to South El Camino Real were closed for roughly three hours following the collision, police said.—
Jason Green,
Mercury News,
24 Jan. 2026
-
In June 2024's legislative first round, the National Rally and allies took roughly a third of the vote.—
Güney Yıldız,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Separately, the season's first heavy snowfall blocked multiple roads leading to Murree, a hill station about 37 miles northeast of Islamabad.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Allen, from Ecosure, says annual turnover in dingo populations is quite high – about two thirds of the island’s dingoes die naturally each year.—
Hilary Whiteman,
CNN Money,
24 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
That would put a dent in downtown’s office vacancy rate, which has hovered around 38% lately, according to CBRE.—
Jon Murray,
Denver Post,
27 Jan. 2026
-
But even though modern-day antidepressants have been around for decades — the Food and Drug Administration approved Prozac for depression treatment in 1987 — there is very little information about long-term use.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Approximately.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/approximately. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
