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
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
Brody Miller, New York Times, 3 June 2026
The royal wedding of the summer is rapidly approaching—and King Charles and Queen Camilla might have a calendar clash with the event.
—Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 29 May 2026
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding is reportedly fast approaching, with the power couple beginning to quietly share details of their top-secret celebration with their guests.
—Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 22 May 2026
Summer is fast approaching, with warm temperatures expected to hit Washington DC and make for a sticky and humid start to the season, a familiar reality for residents across the DMV.
—Mike Stunson, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026
Colorado’s first open race for governor in eight years is fast approaching, and The Denver Post wants your questions for the candidates.
—Jon Murray, Denver Post, 3 Apr. 2026
Election Day on Tuesday, April 7, is fast approaching.
—The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2026
There are signs that the summer season is fast approaching.
—Ryan Hughes, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026
That being said, a pair of sandals is a high priority for my travel wardrobe, especially now that spring is fast approaching.
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 13 Mar. 2026
Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
Women approaching perimenopause, or anyone with a family history of osteoporosis, may benefit from talking to a doctor about bone density screening before a fracture forces the conversation.
—Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 4 June 2026
The breadth of interest reflects widespread recognition that Chicago is approaching a pivotal moment.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 4 June 2026
Additional studies will investigate replacin aluminum structures with steel for better durability, and the addition of spike inlets and other aerodynamic refinements necessary to maintain stable flight and payload release at speeds approaching and exceeding Mach 3.
—David Szondy
june 04, New Atlas, 4 June 2026
The study goes on to calculate that had statewide rent control been in effect over the past decade, the cumulative property tax burden on median single-family homes would have been approaching an additional $2,600.
—Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 4 June 2026
And now, another significant shift is approaching.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 4 June 2026
This may be attributed to school districts approaching reading education in a different way.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 28 May 2026
With an election approaching next month, the La Jolla Town Council is set for another significant overhaul of its board.
—Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 May 2026
Adjective
That June deadline is fast approaching, but Rolapp said many players have come to agree with the direction.
—Brody Miller, New York Times, 3 June 2026
The royal wedding of the summer is rapidly approaching—and King Charles and Queen Camilla might have a calendar clash with the event.
—Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 29 May 2026
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding is reportedly fast approaching, with the power couple beginning to quietly share details of their top-secret celebration with their guests.
—Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 22 May 2026
Summer is fast approaching, with warm temperatures expected to hit Washington DC and make for a sticky and humid start to the season, a familiar reality for residents across the DMV.
—Mike Stunson, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026
Colorado’s first open race for governor in eight years is fast approaching, and The Denver Post wants your questions for the candidates.
—Jon Murray, Denver Post, 3 Apr. 2026
Election Day on Tuesday, April 7, is fast approaching.
—The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2026
There are signs that the summer season is fast approaching.
—Ryan Hughes, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026
That being said, a pair of sandals is a high priority for my travel wardrobe, especially now that spring is fast approaching.
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 13 Mar. 2026
Verb
Around the same time, Mark and Jacob Iskander, 11 and 8, were with their mother and younger sibling approaching a crosswalk at Triunfo Canyon Road.
—Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
Women approaching perimenopause, or anyone with a family history of osteoporosis, may benefit from talking to a doctor about bone density screening before a fracture forces the conversation.
—Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 4 June 2026
The breadth of interest reflects widespread recognition that Chicago is approaching a pivotal moment.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 4 June 2026
Additional studies will investigate replacin aluminum structures with steel for better durability, and the addition of spike inlets and other aerodynamic refinements necessary to maintain stable flight and payload release at speeds approaching and exceeding Mach 3.
—David Szondy
june 04, New Atlas, 4 June 2026
The study goes on to calculate that had statewide rent control been in effect over the past decade, the cumulative property tax burden on median single-family homes would have been approaching an additional $2,600.
—Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 4 June 2026
And now, another significant shift is approaching.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 4 June 2026
This may be attributed to school districts approaching reading education in a different way.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 28 May 2026
With an election approaching next month, the La Jolla Town Council is set for another significant overhaul of its board.
—Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for approaching
Adjective
-
Italian authorities have canceled upcoming concerts by Kanye West and Travis Scott that had been scheduled to take place in July in the northern city of Reggio Emilia, citing security concerns.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
31 May 2026
-
Independents can’t vote in the upcoming primary for various government officials, but they are allowed on the state ballot question.—
Cheryl Winokur Munk,
CNBC,
31 May 2026
Verb
-
Now, age verification is coming for your computer, bringing the same privacy concerns with it.—
Alan Henry,
PC Magazine,
29 May 2026
-
The conflict and uncertainty surrounding it have continued to ripple through energy markets, with Exxon delivering a warning Thursday that oil inventories are on track to reach dangerously low levels in the coming weeks, forcing prices to spike and curbing demand.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
The Dow hit an all-time high and oil cooled on optimism that the Iran war was nearing its end.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
5 June 2026
-
The Bears are nearing the end of their spring practice period.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
The National Football League, for all its flaws, understands the commercial necessity of approximating fairness.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 May 2026
-
Enlarging the circle improves accuracy by better approximating a true circle.—
Manon Bischoff,
Scientific American,
25 May 2026
Adjective
-
Archer is scaling for the mega sporting event and attempting to build an operational hub for the area's impending air taxi network.—
Samantha Subin,
CNBC,
29 May 2026
-
With multiple lawsuits and an impending Supreme Court ruling poised to shape TPS nationwide, advocates hail the Lebanese extension but warn that hundreds of thousands still lack a permanent solution.—
Gisela Salomon,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
In 2025, soon after closing its merger with Skydance, Paramount clinched a 7-year deal with the UFC as the mixed martial arts circuit was wrapping its deal with ESPN.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
4 June 2026
-
DeSantis seems more open to the idea of closing Alligator Alcatraz.—
Eric Schlosser,
The Atlantic,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
In 2025, Google followed suit, entering into an agreement with Kairos Power and the TVA for a new nuclear plant.—
Joseph Wilkins,
CNBC,
3 June 2026
-
Industrial additive manufacturing is entering the commercial nuclear power sector through a new production agreement between two Midwestern companies.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Indeed, e-commerce now represents a significant share of total fashion sales, reflecting continued growth in digital channels.—
Malana VanTyler,
Miami Herald,
3 June 2026
-
Broadcom’s revenues from these two deals will be closely correlated, UBS’s Arcuri said, reflecting the high level of mutual investment that has characterized the AI buildout so far.—
Tobias Burns,
CNBC,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Approaching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/approaching. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
