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
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
13 June 2026
The program would be in approximate 75-year actuarial balance.
—
Teresa Ghilarducci,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Manon Bischoff,
Scientific American,
19 June 2026
Only Pau Gasol, who won second-team All-Euroleague honors at 19 in 2001, could approximate it.
—
Sam Vecenie,
New York Times,
12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for approximate
Adjective
Last summer’s approximate £235million transfer spend on the likes of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko was financed, in part, by several RCF drawdowns.
—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
13 June 2026
The program would be in approximate 75-year actuarial balance.
—
Teresa Ghilarducci,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Verb
So the aim for experts is to try to create a larger denominator to improve the fraction’s ability to approximate an irrational number.
—
Manon Bischoff,
Scientific American,
19 June 2026
Only Pau Gasol, who won second-team All-Euroleague honors at 19 in 2001, could approximate it.
—
Sam Vecenie,
New York Times,
12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for approximate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for approximate
Adjective
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As discussions of warfare today emphasize unmanned systems technology, drones are driving battles into a new frontier – or rather, a frontier perceived as new due to its relative obscurity in the public eye.
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Mutchnick and Kohan were relative novices when NBC was gearing up to pick up their Will & Grace script to pilot in 1997.
Adjective
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This commonly results from inaccurate color representation, poor fit or discrepancies between the physical item and its depiction on the website.
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Choi said McGee would use terminology that could have swayed a jury and sometimes provided an inaccurate window for a time of death.
Verb
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Trump blames vandalism for the troubles with the reflecting pool renovation, announces people are being arrested.
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The first-of-its-kind event reflected a party eager to experiment and broaden its appeal beyond the traditional political crowd.
Adjective
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Govern From Day One In a regulated context, an assistant that produces a confident but incorrect answer carries genuine regulatory and reputational exposure.
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Many argue that signatures are invalid because signers listed incorrect addresses or live outside of the district the candidate wants to represent.
Verb
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After deciding on the right type of pet, start the adoption process and lean on shelter staff to help match you with an animal that fits your lifestyle.
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Tim Edwards, Cal Fire Local 2881 president, says that the current salary calculation formula, which matches firefighter pay with other state workers salaries, does not account for inflation or the amount of overtime state firefighters are working.
Verb
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Now is his chance to test the waters and find out if any suitors will approach him with an offer sheet.
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For a player who already set the bar so high — his 109 catches were a school record — yet fell short of his ultimate goal, how Toney approaches his sophomore year will be worth the watch.
Cite this Entry
“Approximate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/approximate. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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