approaching 1 of 2

adjective

as in upcoming
being soon to appear or take place the approaching holiday has everyone in a state of excitement

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

approaching

2 of 2

verb

present participle of approach
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

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 approaching
Adjective
The 2026 midterm elections are fast approaching, and in some states, voters are already casting ballots. — Melina Khan, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026 Election day in South Dakota is fast approaching, and several important statewide offices will be on your ballots. — Gabriel Brito, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 9 Sep. 2026 Turtleneck season is fast approaching, and there are more ways than ever to wear the versatile layering piece. — Jennifer Hussein, InStyle, 5 Sep. 2026 Best Amazon Dress Sales Under $50 Fall is fast approaching, and while sundress season is technically over, these dresses will carry you over into the cooler months. — Paige Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Sep. 2026 August 29, the fictional date (in 1997) of the franchise’s original nuclear holocaust, is fast approaching, and Judgment Day is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. — ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026 The time for my wife and me to say goodbye was fast approaching. — John Biemer, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026 Fall is fast approaching, but the Red Sox look like their spring selves again in the worst way. — Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 12 Aug. 2026 While the deadline is fast approaching, Montour keeps working away. — Christine Haughney Dare-Bryan, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Verb
The case has been a political flashpoint in Nigeria for years, flaring up ahead of the 2023 election that brought Tinubu to office and again now with the 2027 vote fast approaching. — Adrian Elimian, semafor.com, 8 Oct. 2026 With multiple CMEs approaching Earth in quick succession, there's still considerable uncertainty over how geomagnetic conditions will develop. — Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 8 Oct. 2026 According to market sources, Lacoste has tripled in size over the past decade, with revenues said to be approaching 3 billion euros. — Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2026 Some Security members have expressed concerns that designating political figures would interfere in Haiti’s internal affairs, particularly with elections approaching, while others have criticized the lack of enforcement on an arms embargo. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026 Pakawadee Wongjinda/Getty Images For many Americans approaching retirement, eliminating debt can feel like an obvious item to put near the top of the financial to-do list. — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026 Remember, the holidays are approaching, and a scented candle makes a lovely present for just about any discerning coworker, the cousin who’s just moved, or your votive-loving mother-in-law. — Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 7 Oct. 2026 Advertisement With no end to the war in sight and an approaching winter that will see a rise in energy demand and costs, policymakers need to move quickly to offer relief to families. — Sanya Carley, Time, 7 Oct. 2026 On Tuesday, Hanks posted video of himself approaching André and his security team at the event and exchanging some words with the comedian. — Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for approaching
  1. upcoming
  2. coming
  3. nearing
  4. approximating
  5. impending
  6. closing
  7. entering
  8. reflecting
Adjective
  • But the latest release — though unlikely to materially affect the results of the upcoming election — once again concentrates attention on Tinubu’s time in the US.
    — Adrian Elimian, semafor.com, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The upcoming Doha Film Festival has unveiled its 15-title competition lineup made up mostly of Middle East premieres of movies from the region, seven of which directed by women.
    — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of upcoming
Verb
  • The island has hosted a Ground Self-Defense Force garrison since 2016, while Tokyo has plans to add additional air-defense capabilities in the coming years.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The man’s identity was expected to be released by the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office in the coming days.
    — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of coming
Verb
  • Yeoh plays Olwen, a replicant Blade Runner nearing the end of her life, who partners with Schafer’s Cora, a mysterious new recruit.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Wall Street pointed slightly higher in premarket trading Tuesday after nearing a record close to open the week as oil prices retreat to the lowest level in more than a month.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of nearing
Verb
  • Whether any variant of such consciousness, approximating that of humans, can be achieved with a nonbiological foundation is assumed but remains to be seen.
    — Keith Tidman, Baltimore Sun, 24 Sep. 2026
  • At this point in the news cycle, unity, or at least something approximating it, needs to be the chief league objective.
    — Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of approximating
Adjective
  • Aubrey Layne, Sentara’s chief administrative officer, said lower payment rates from government programs — and impending cuts to Medicaid — are forcing the hospital to play hardball with the insurers that are representing employers.
    — Bob Herman, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The film is a satire about an impending climate change apocalypse that’s triggered by the drilling operations of oil tycoon Digger Rockwell, played by Cruise, who looks nearly unrecognizable clad in prosthetics and graying hair.
    — Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of impending
Verb
  • Now that the eleventh-hour challenge was denied, Paramount CEO David Ellison can move forward with closing the merger as planned.
    — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 6 Oct. 2026
  • In September, California Department of Education spokesperson Scott Roark said closing Highlands in Twin Rivers Unified would not eliminate its debts, including what is owed to the state.
    — Chaewon Chung Updated October 5, Sacbee.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of closing
Verb
  • The tomb’s entrance passage, with narrowing walls and descending axis, creates a liminal stage to orient the body before entering the burial chamber.
    — Jacqueline Ortoleva, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The museum has cited safety concerns as one reason visitors will have to pass security controls before entering the plaza, and an adjacent park has no such barriers.
    — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of entering
Verb
  • In recent years, Nike has lost major athletes Lamine Yamal, Harry Kane, and Ousmane Dembélé to competitor brands, reflecting its waning dominance in the performance sportswear market.
    — Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2026
  • But the numbers show that vouchers and charters schools are attracting a larger share of students each year, reflecting the popularity of school choice with Florida families.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of reflecting

Browse Nearby Words

approaches
approaching
approbate
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Cite this Entry

“Approaching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/approaching. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

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