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
Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2026
Horan is a passionate golfer in his own right, carrying an approximate 8-9 handicap and regularly appearing at pro-am events.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2026
Big Think, 1 Apr. 2026
More formal evidence also indicates that large language models may be able to approximate the kind of clinical reasoning expected of physicians.
—Alexandra Sifferlin, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for approximate
Adjective
For example, the 11% increase in wages found in the study is below that approximate 25% leap in California’s $16 wage prior to the 2024 law.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2026
Horan is a passionate golfer in his own right, carrying an approximate 8-9 handicap and regularly appearing at pro-am events.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2026
Verb
In the field of cosmology, approximating dark energy with a cosmological constant has been remarkably successful since its presence was first revealed in the late 1990s.
—Big Think, 1 Apr. 2026
More formal evidence also indicates that large language models may be able to approximate the kind of clinical reasoning expected of physicians.
—Alexandra Sifferlin, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for approximate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for approximate
Adjective
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Using Opta’s power rankings to estimate the relative difficulty of each side’s remaining games, Carlos Corberan’s Valencia have the most to fear.—
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2026
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Ultimately, the report states, the video call was a ruse, falsely portraying the child as safe and in the care of a non-relative in California.—
S.E. Jenkins,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Inspired by three new Chessmen flavors — Salted Caramel, Cinnamon Sugar and Brown Butter Pecan — the board reflects a color palette of rich caramel and brown butter hues, while also incorporating a hidden compartment in the base that’s perfect for storing cookies.—
Natalia Senanayake,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
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But Farrell insists that the fees reflect care and determination.—
Julian Lucas,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Perhaps most significantly, 36 percent of consumers have already returned products because of inaccurate or inconsistent information provided during the digital journey.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
20 Apr. 2026
-
An earlier version of this recap included an inaccurate scene description; it has been corrected.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Burke has rare size at nearly 6-foot-9, and a nasty disposition to match.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The subtle yellows and rust oranges of the upholstery match the shades of the rising sun, with terracotta mugs at the tea and coffee counter and bright pops of red from the centre tables in the living area.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Intelligence is basically anything with a pretty clear definition between the set of correct and incorrect answers—think tasks in coding, mathematics, physics, and even some tasks in accounting, law, or medicine.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
21 Apr. 2026
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The market said the confusion came from incorrect AI search results on apps like Google and Instagram.—
Rashad Alexander,
Kansas City Star,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The employee was taking an order in the drive-through line when Peavey approached her from behind and struck her with the brick.—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Apr. 2026
-
With the midterms approaching, certain primaries have reflected broader debates about whether the Party might consider cursing more, capitalizing tweets, going Dark Woke.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Approximate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/approximate. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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