approximately

adverb

ap·​prox·​i·​mate·​ly ə-ˈpräk-sə-mət-lē 

: in an approximate manner

an event in ancient history that can only be approximately dated

—used to indicate that a stated number, amount, or value is an approximation

Approximately [=around, about] 2,000 people attended the rally.

arrived at approximately 11:30 in the morning

During a lifetime, a person will take approximately 500 million breaths.

—Arthur S. Slutsky, M.D., et al.

Synonyms of approximately

• roughly
• about
• around

Examples of approximately in a Sentence

it takes approximately three hours to drive to Dallas

Recent Examples on the Web

Cook for approximately 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion becomes translucent and the garlic is fragrant. — ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026

Industry data compiled by the International Council on Clean Transportation lists Fremont with EV production capacity of approximately 515,000 vehicles annually. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 23 Aug. 2026

The epicenter was approximately 6 miles east-northeast of Coso Junction, at a depth of 2 miles. — Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 23 Aug. 2026

Today, a company holding $100 billion can potentially earn approximately $4 billion annually before taxes while preserving liquidity and assuming minimal credit risk. — Robert Daugherty, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1742, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for approximately

• proximately

Kids Definition

approximately

adverb

ap·​prox·​i·​mate·​ly

-mət-lē

: reasonably close to

approximately 5 miles

at approximately six o'clock