Synonyms of approaching

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

• upcoming
• coming
• impending
• nearing
• to come
• imminent
• oncoming
• forthcoming
• at hand
• on hand
• future
• proximate
• pending
• on tap
• anticipated
• predicted
• awaited
• expected
• foreseen

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• recent
• late
• past
• other
• sometime
• old
• former
• foregone
• bygone
• erstwhile
• onetime
• whilom
• quondam

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

• coming
• closing
• nearing
• arriving
• reaching
• drawing on
• coming up
• closing in
• attaining
• hitting
• landing
• nighing
• bellying up
• gaining
• making
• bordering
• verging
• showing up
• turning up
• touching
• adjoining
• creeping up
• waltzing (up)
• sneaking up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• retreating
• withdrawing
• receding
• retiring
• backing (up or away)
• leaving
• going
• exiting
• removing
• departing
• quitting
• running away
• pulling out
• walking out
• taking off
• shoving (off)
• clearing out
• lighting out

2

as in nearing

to move closer to

approach the bull with caution

Synonyms & Similar Words

• coming
• nearing
• entering
• advancing
• nighing
• dropping in
• popping (in)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• going
• withdrawing
• retreating
• leaving
• departing
• receding (from)
• exiting

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

• approximating
• reflecting
• comparing (with)
• matching
• measuring up (to)
• stacking up (against or with)
• mirroring
• paralleling
• holding a candle to
• amounting (to)
• coming (to)
• adding up (to)
• duplicating
• equaling
• touching (on)
• bordering (on)
• verging (on)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of approaching

Adjective

Winter is fast approaching, beckoning a drop in temperatures that will leave most people wanting nothing more than to curl up inside. — Simmone Shah, Time, 9 Nov. 2026

As the 2026 high school football season enters Week 11 in Central Texas and around the state, the playoffs are fast approaching. — Shaun Chornobroff, Austin American Statesman, 4 Nov. 2026

But Chang, who was then working for a solar-energy startup, found the proceedings unexpectedly disinterested in political strategy, even as the 2024 Presidential election was fast approaching. — Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026

The deadline to register to vote in Pennsylvania for the 2026 midterm election is fast approaching. — Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026

The implications are worrying, especially when considering the fact that Black Friday and Cyber Monday are fast approaching. — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026

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

Verb

That exchange reminded me of a conversation years ago with a dear friend who was approaching the end of his life. — Rabbi Bruce D. Forman, Sun Sentinel, 11 Nov. 2026

That fateful Thursday is approaching — the day when millions of American families gather in their homes for a traditional fall harvest meal, sometimes with a side dish of awkwardness and argument. — Los Angeles Times, 11 Nov. 2026

Ski season is approaching, and Vail Resorts (MTN) shareholders could use some fresh powder. — Jay Woods, CNBC, 11 Nov. 2026

The council was also approaching its fifth and final public hearing on the project. — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 11 Nov. 2026

There’s nothing better than tricking a mature buck into pinning his ears back and approaching you, ready for a fight. — Derek Horner, Outdoor Life, 10 Nov. 2026

Two days later, a neighbor’s doorbell camera picked up video of a man matching Sapov’s description approaching the victim’s door while wearing a full-face rubber mask. — Maven Navarro, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Nov. 2026

With less than an hour before polls close in most parts of Texas, voters who received mail-in ballots are also approaching an important deadline. — S.e. Jenkins, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026

With the holiday season fast approaching, Blake Lively is certainly back in her element. — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 4 Nov. 2026