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
Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 13 Oct. 2025
Now, season 2 is fast approaching.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Oct. 2025
The odds that the United States government will shut down have soared to their highest point on Tuesday afternoon, as the deadline to reach an agreement is fast approaching.
—Deputy News Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
Gabriel’s time is fast approaching.
—Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2025
There is a growing sense of urgency for the Golden State Warriors to resolve the summerlong Jonathan Kuminga saga with two key dates fast approaching.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 25 Sep. 2025
The 43rd Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon is fast approaching.
—Hannah Kirby, jsonline.com, 24 Sep. 2025
After another sweltering summer, fall is fast approaching.
—Roshae Hemmings, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
With that deadline fast approaching, even some Republicans are clamoring for Congress to extend those benefits once again, if only until after the 2026 midterm elections.
—Mike Lillis, The Hill, 7 Sep. 2025
Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
While fishing off the coast of Thailand, a group of fishermen noticed a massive underwater shadow approaching their boat.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2025
In addition, the turbine’s efficiency reaches 53 percent, approaching the theoretical maximum of 59 percent set by Betz’s law.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2025
Automakers are approaching the end of the EV tax credit in a variety of ways, including specific incentives on some EVs.
—Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 15 Oct. 2025
Castro is bursting at the seams with excitement over his upcoming slate, as well as his fast-approaching nuptials.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2025
With Halloween fast approaching, there can be no better time to revisit the works that made Lugosi a star.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2025
The pullback is now approaching both its flat 200-day moving average and a key support zone in the low-380s— a critical level that marked the breakout point in late July and the breakdown zone from March.
—Frank Cappelleri, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2025
So, while my situation is unique in many respects, every Nicaraguan scholar approaching this topic has to interrogate their assumptions and positionality.
—Tim Brinkhof, JSTOR Daily, 8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
The Victoria's Secret Fashion show is fast approaching, and with it, the usual fanfare as audiences ready to watch models defy gravity in impossibly tall heels, heavy wings and jaw-dropping lingerie looks.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 13 Oct. 2025
Now, season 2 is fast approaching.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Oct. 2025
The odds that the United States government will shut down have soared to their highest point on Tuesday afternoon, as the deadline to reach an agreement is fast approaching.
—Deputy News Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
Gabriel’s time is fast approaching.
—Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2025
There is a growing sense of urgency for the Golden State Warriors to resolve the summerlong Jonathan Kuminga saga with two key dates fast approaching.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 25 Sep. 2025
The 43rd Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon is fast approaching.
—Hannah Kirby, jsonline.com, 24 Sep. 2025
After another sweltering summer, fall is fast approaching.
—Roshae Hemmings, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
With that deadline fast approaching, even some Republicans are clamoring for Congress to extend those benefits once again, if only until after the 2026 midterm elections.
—Mike Lillis, The Hill, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
Raducanu saw the man during her match against Karolína Muchová, approaching the chair umpire in tears during the second game.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
While fishing off the coast of Thailand, a group of fishermen noticed a massive underwater shadow approaching their boat.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2025
In addition, the turbine’s efficiency reaches 53 percent, approaching the theoretical maximum of 59 percent set by Betz’s law.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2025
Automakers are approaching the end of the EV tax credit in a variety of ways, including specific incentives on some EVs.
—Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 15 Oct. 2025
Castro is bursting at the seams with excitement over his upcoming slate, as well as his fast-approaching nuptials.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2025
With Halloween fast approaching, there can be no better time to revisit the works that made Lugosi a star.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2025
The pullback is now approaching both its flat 200-day moving average and a key support zone in the low-380s— a critical level that marked the breakout point in late July and the breakdown zone from March.
—Frank Cappelleri, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2025
So, while my situation is unique in many respects, every Nicaraguan scholar approaching this topic has to interrogate their assumptions and positionality.
—Tim Brinkhof, JSTOR Daily, 8 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for approaching
Adjective
-
Bieber threw a towel over his shoulder, the upcoming surgery clear in his mind, and watched the last few innings with a cold face.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The upcoming Doha Film Festival transforms the DFI’s existing Ajyal Film Festival, dedicated to youth and family-friendly cinema, into a more ambitious international event for a broader audience.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
As D’Angelo is remembered in the coming months, the singer hopes that anyone who’s not familiar with his life’s work takes away the right lessons.—
Elise Brisco,
Rolling Stone,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Wang also seemed to sense that an engagement was coming.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Bills come due, eventually, in every sense, though reported name, image and likeness earnings nearing $2 million at Utah are a nice buffer.—
Brian Hamilton,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Much of the state north and west of that line is nearing, at or even beyond peak fall color.—
Jim Higgins,
jsonline.com,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Reminiscent of Polanski’s Repulsion in its nightmarish depiction of an unraveling mind, Vicious, which was initially slated for a theatrical release but is instead streaming on Paramount+, doesn’t come close to approximating its greatness.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Today, Milan and Inter are closer and yet still years away from having something approximating it.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
To prevent this impending disaster, Dewey asked voters to elect him, instead of giving Roosevelt a fourth term.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Oct. 2025
-
The movie, which posits an impending nuclear strike on a major American city, is a flimsy yet high-minded piece of doomsday schlock, largely populated by ciphers in suits and drained of the pulp pleasures that schlock, at its best, can afford.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Two new restaurants will replace old favorites on the Near Southside, more good Tex-Mex is coming to Keller and the dining business is exploding across the Fort Worth area even though older places are closing.—
Bud Kennedy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 Oct. 2025
-
The surgeon withdraws the balloon and then squeezes the implant in through a sterile funnel before closing the incision.—
Jolene Edgar,
Allure,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Those without internet access can listen to the call live by dialing (833) 470-1428 and then entering the passcode, 549176.—
Jon Walker,
Arkansas Online,
15 Oct. 2025
-
Aid workers added that rebuilding sanitation networks is also necessary but will be a challenge until the supplies entering Gaza necessary increase.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
This year’s program featured 76 films from 26 countries, selected from over 1,700 submissions, including first time entries from Sao Tomé and Principe, Belize and Ecuador, reflecting both an expanding international reach and deepening artistic ambition.—
Essie Assibu,
Variety,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Voters in New Jersey still see a clear ideological divide between Sherrill and Ciattarelli, reflecting the broader partisan split shaping the state’s tight governor’s race.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Approaching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/approaching. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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