as in upcoming
being soon to appear or take place
the approaching holiday has everyone in a state of excitement
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in coming
to come near or nearer
the parade's approaching! I can hear the band playing!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nearing
to move closer to
approach the bull with caution
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in approximating
to come near or nearer to in character or quality
his store-bought dessert doesn't even approach your homemade version of it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of approaching
Alex Driggars, Austin American Statesman, 27 Jan. 2026
The self-assessment tax deadline is fast approaching, but landlords and the self-employed will soon have new HMRC requirements to follow – known as Making Tax Digital.
—Marc Shoffman, TheWeek, 14 Jan. 2026
Otherwise, the Supreme Court’s effective deadline to add final cases for this term — which puts them on track for a decision by the summer — is fast approaching.
—Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 12 Jan. 2026
Christmas is fast approaching, and Kylie is still nowhere to be found.
—Veronica Fulton, NBC news, 18 Dec. 2025
Christmas Day is fast approaching.
—Susan Selasky, Freep.com, 18 Dec. 2025
The Rule 5 Draft is fast approaching, marking an interesting checkpoint in the Major League Baseball offseasons.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
The deadline to file a claim in the $177 million AT&T class action settlement is fast approaching.
—Cheryl V. Jackson, IndyStar, 3 Dec. 2025
The release of The Soccer 100, The Athletic’s definitive ranking of the greatest men’s players to have graced the beautiful game, is fast approaching, with the book available to purchase from November 18.
—The Athletic Staff, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2025
John Raby, Twin Cities, 23 Jan. 2026
As of January, some school districts are already approaching their six-day limit.
—Terell Bailey, CBS News, 23 Jan. 2026
On Thursday, approaching 51 years since LaFave was killed, San Diego police announced the arrest of 71-year-old Johnnie Salisbury of Syracuse in northern Indiana, roughly an hour northwest of Fort Wayne.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Jan. 2026
That strategy is now approaching its limitations.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Instead, Gonzales and other cops waited 77 minutes before approaching Ramos and killing him inside a classroom.
—Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2026
The suspect briefly tried to enter the police vehicle, then fled on foot before he was shot and killed seconds later by approaching officers.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2026
Simulations of a prototype cooling cycle also suggested a cooling capacity of 67 joules per gram, with efficiency approaching 77 percent.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 22 Jan. 2026
Footage of the incidents show agents swarming vehicles, smashing windows and trying to pry open car doors within seconds of approaching drivers.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 16 Jan. 2026
Adjective
Texas' March primaries are right around the corner, which means the deadline to register to vote is fast approaching.
—Alex Driggars, Austin American Statesman, 27 Jan. 2026
The self-assessment tax deadline is fast approaching, but landlords and the self-employed will soon have new HMRC requirements to follow – known as Making Tax Digital.
—Marc Shoffman, TheWeek, 14 Jan. 2026
Otherwise, the Supreme Court’s effective deadline to add final cases for this term — which puts them on track for a decision by the summer — is fast approaching.
—Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 12 Jan. 2026
Christmas is fast approaching, and Kylie is still nowhere to be found.
—Veronica Fulton, NBC news, 18 Dec. 2025
Christmas Day is fast approaching.
—Susan Selasky, Freep.com, 18 Dec. 2025
The Rule 5 Draft is fast approaching, marking an interesting checkpoint in the Major League Baseball offseasons.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
The deadline to file a claim in the $177 million AT&T class action settlement is fast approaching.
—Cheryl V. Jackson, IndyStar, 3 Dec. 2025
The release of The Soccer 100, The Athletic’s definitive ranking of the greatest men’s players to have graced the beautiful game, is fast approaching, with the book available to purchase from November 18.
—The Athletic Staff, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2025
Verb
The number of states where college games were being adjusted showed the large path of the approaching storm.
—John Raby, Twin Cities, 23 Jan. 2026
As of January, some school districts are already approaching their six-day limit.
—Terell Bailey, CBS News, 23 Jan. 2026
On Thursday, approaching 51 years since LaFave was killed, San Diego police announced the arrest of 71-year-old Johnnie Salisbury of Syracuse in northern Indiana, roughly an hour northwest of Fort Wayne.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Jan. 2026
That strategy is now approaching its limitations.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Instead, Gonzales and other cops waited 77 minutes before approaching Ramos and killing him inside a classroom.
—Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2026
The suspect briefly tried to enter the police vehicle, then fled on foot before he was shot and killed seconds later by approaching officers.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2026
Simulations of a prototype cooling cycle also suggested a cooling capacity of 67 joules per gram, with efficiency approaching 77 percent.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 22 Jan. 2026
Footage of the incidents show agents swarming vehicles, smashing windows and trying to pry open car doors within seconds of approaching drivers.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 16 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for approaching
Adjective
-
John Mulaney has postponed three upcoming shows in Minneapolis following the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer.—
Amy McCarthy,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
-
The arbitration hearing will allow for both sides to receive a specific contractual figure if no settlement is reached in the upcoming weeks.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
European Parliament will consider Automotive Package The proposal for small and affordable cars will be examined by the European Parliament over coming months.—
Neil Winton,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
-
The James family plans to travel to K’gari in the coming weeks to attend a smoking ceremony as guests of the island’s traditional custodians.—
Hilary Whiteman,
CNN Money,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Other senior vice presidents are also nearing the ages when Apple executives have traditionally retired.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Many founders delay planning, with fewer than 30 percent reporting a formal succession plan, despite a high proportion nearing retirement age.—
Wendy Stewart,
Fortune,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In the others, researchers cranked up the heat in greenhouses, approximating the effects of global warming.—
Drew Kann,
AJC.com,
12 Jan. 2026
-
The ideal scenario would see Wiggins approximating what Horton did this year, but that was a unique case of elite talent aligning with opportunity and player development.—
Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
So researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota developed a system that uses real-time signals to warn about impending issues.—
Michelle Fay Cortez,
Bloomberg,
5 Jan. 2026
-
Instead, must investigate the history of the colony and attempt to save it from an impending disaster, all while struggling to survive in the harsh lunar environment devoid of oxygen.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
But across the rest of the quarter, the Bruins bruised their way back into control, closing with an 18-7 run that included graduate guard Charlisse Leger-Walker sinking a pair of 3-pointers in a 40-second span.—
Benjamin Royer,
Daily News,
22 Jan. 2026
-
To ensure a smooth transition with the Damiani Group, Richemont will provide operational services for the Maison for an interim period of at least 12 months after closing, according to the joint statement.—
Anthony DeMarco,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Employees of the consulate stopped the agent from entering, the Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday in a statement.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Over the last several days, many Americans have seen upsetting, and often violent, images and videos of protests in Minneapolis amid a flood of ICE agents entering the city for a federal immigration enforcement operation.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The list intentionally avoids being overly banker-centric or academic, reflecting more how M&A is experienced by leaders and employees through the life-cycle of a transaction.—
Jennifer J. Fondrevay,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
While women and girls continue to be disproportionately affected, men and boys are increasingly being targeted, reflecting shifting patterns of violence, which have become more brutal, the report says.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Approaching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/approaching. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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