1
as in relative
being such only when compared to something else
the movie's an approximate success, if you can overlook the overblown publicity that preceded it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in approximative
not precisely correct
police could only give us an approximate count of the number of people who attended the air show
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to reflect
to come near or nearer to in character or quality
Rob's violin performance last night didn't even approximate what he's really capable of when he's not feeling sick
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of approximate
Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2025
With horse-lengths measuring about eight feet, Smarty won by a little more than the approximate distance between two bases in Major League Baseball.
—Annie Jennemann, Baltimore Sun, 6 May 2025
Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025
While the State Department has not disclosed official figures, a review by Inside Higher Ed approximates 1,700 visas have been revoked, including 18 at Florida International University, where Rubio himself once taught a political science class.
—David Catanese, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for approximate
Adjective
The 860,000 complaints, about 256,000 of which were related to actual financial loss, trail 2023's approximate 880,000 complaints.
—Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2025
With horse-lengths measuring about eight feet, Smarty won by a little more than the approximate distance between two bases in Major League Baseball.
—Annie Jennemann, Baltimore Sun, 6 May 2025
Verb
Schwartz added some artificial moondust—regolith—to certain organoid tubes to approximate its impact combined with that of radiation.
—Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025
While the State Department has not disclosed official figures, a review by Inside Higher Ed approximates 1,700 visas have been revoked, including 18 at Florida International University, where Rubio himself once taught a political science class.
—David Catanese, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for approximate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for approximate
Adjective
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The rationale for this approach is not simply based on a subjective assessment of relative importance of the military’s major enterprises, but also to the second and third order effects such moves may have to U.S. influence and leadership around the world.—
David A. Deptula,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2025
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The photo highlights the relative youth of human civilization by showing a 2,500-year-old temple that is ancient by the yardstick of human lives, alongside the 4.5 billion-year-old disk of Earth's moon, which has watched over humanity since our ancestors emerged from the oceans.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
13 May 2025
Verb
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This reflects the power of culture, which prioritizes collaboration over competition.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
15 May 2025
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That inclusivity is reflected behind the camera, too.—
Emlyn Travis Published,
EW.com,
14 May 2025
Adjective
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Trump claimed the inaccurate poll violated consumer fraud protections; the Register is currently fighting the lawsuit in court.—
Hadas Gold,
CNN Money,
30 Apr. 2025
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The impact could be inaccurate diagnoses, which could cost lives and break down trust in the healthcare system.—
Christian Espinosa,
Forbes.com,
30 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Not only is Cena the Goat, but Zayn lost to him in their only singles match for the United States Championship.—
Jeremy Hanna,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 May 2025
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The player is set to get richer after their ticket matched all five white balls.—
Simone Jasper,
Charlotte Observer,
14 May 2025
Adjective
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Common factors that contribute to misconfigurations include: • Human Error: Typing mistakes, syntax errors or incorrect command sequences.—
Alexander Britkin,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2025
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That is the correct decision for her and her game, but also the incorrect decision for all of us at home watching a television program.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
8 May 2025
Verb
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Do not approach water, wet objects, or metal items.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
13 May 2025
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Malhotra also turned to Jones’ contemporary style and approach to fashion.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
13 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Approximate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/approximate. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
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