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
Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 21 Jan. 2026
So a common approach is to use a computer to simulate the fluid’s motion and get an approximate sense of the conditions that seem to produce a blowup.
—Quanta Magazine, 9 Jan. 2026
Dan Schlossberg, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Rounded shapes are flattened or approximated with broad planes, so that clothes aren’t worn by the figures so much as blocked on, like shadows.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for approximate
Adjective
The machine will only process 4,000 tons, or less than 1%, of the county’s approximate 500,000 tons of green waste.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 21 Jan. 2026
So a common approach is to use a computer to simulate the fluid’s motion and get an approximate sense of the conditions that seem to produce a blowup.
—Quanta Magazine, 9 Jan. 2026
Verb
His new deal approximates the five-year contracts Kyle Schwarber and Alex Bregman received from the Phillies and Cubs, respectively.
—Dan Schlossberg, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Rounded shapes are flattened or approximated with broad planes, so that clothes aren’t worn by the figures so much as blocked on, like shadows.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for approximate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for approximate
Adjective
-
During the search for their next head coach, the Steelers interviewed a number of candidates, many of them young assistants in the vein of Noll, Mike Tomlin and Bill Cowher, all of whom arrived in Pittsburgh as relative unknowns and left with Super Bowl rings and Hall of Fame-worthy resumes.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Even in the relative seclusion of our home, the world has found us.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
None of these instances reflect sound judgment by the person charged with keeping our country safe.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
27 Jan. 2026
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Farace visited the canal on Monday with Scibica's widow, reflecting on the impact Johnny had on the community.—
Joan Murray,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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What with its Charli xcx soundtrack and historically inaccurate latex costumes, Emily Brontë purists may opt to swerve a Valentine’s weekend viewing slot.—
Olivia Allen,
Vogue,
27 Jan. 2026
-
And those traditional soil tests use acids to extract phosphorus from the soil, delivering inaccurate findings of how much phosphorus plants can actually access.—
Dinesh Phuyal,
The Conversation,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Justin Sullivan | Getty Images Apple reported blowout first-quarter earnings on Thursday, and predicted growth of as much as 16% in the current quarter, matching the period that just ended.—
Kif Leswing,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2026
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The silk mousseline garments floated almost like ghosts or memories of Chanel designs past, including the famous skirt suit with its matching cardigan and Karl Lagerfeld modernisms like jeans with a tweed jacket, plus the iconic flap bag.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Attackers can intentionally inject misleading or manipulative prompts to bypass security protocols or generate incorrect responses.—
Connie Etemadi,
Miami Herald,
28 Jan. 2026
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Kiraly said the project experienced some delays due to incorrect measurements during construction, pushing completion back by a couple of months.—
Daniel I. Dorfman,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Security footage of the incident showed Richardson approaching Coleman from out of the frame and appears to grab his backpack from behind.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The strongest winds are expected near the coast, where gusts could approach hurricane force, or 75 miles per hour, along parts of the North Carolina and Virginia shoreline by Saturday night.—
Briana Waxman,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Approximate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/approximate. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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