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
Melissa Chan, NBC news, 16 June 2025
Read on for some common examples and their approximate omega-3 content per typical serving size.
—Caroline Tien, SELF, 12 June 2025
Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
Elliott’s introduction to the world with Supa Dupa Fly was a game-shifter, but her futuristic vision concretely materialized with Da Real World, so concerned with sounding beyond the time and seemingly approximating it.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Vulture, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for approximate
Adjective
Click to advance Notes: All locations are approximate.
—Melissa Chan, NBC news, 16 June 2025
Read on for some common examples and their approximate omega-3 content per typical serving size.
—Caroline Tien, SELF, 12 June 2025
Verb
Chime appears perfectly positioned to introduce a similar model, and Instant Loans seems to approximate it.
—Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
Elliott’s introduction to the world with Supa Dupa Fly was a game-shifter, but her futuristic vision concretely materialized with Da Real World, so concerned with sounding beyond the time and seemingly approximating it.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Vulture, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for approximate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for approximate
Adjective
-
The tough spot the Mets find themselves in now is relative, as a look across the diamond would reveal.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
18 June 2025
-
At the Wednesday press conference, Powell underscored the relative strength of the economy, citing solid labor market conditions including the 4.2% unemployment rate, a low inflation rate and improvements in business and consumer sentiment.—
Aimee Picchi,
CBS News,
18 June 2025
Verb
-
Speaking directly to the camera, Hatt reflected on her dating history—or lack thereof—and the weight of societal expectations that come with entering a new decade of adulthood without a partner.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 June 2025
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These declines reflect the consequences of weak follow-through, lack of vision, or resistance to innovation.—
Jeanne Allen,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2025
Adjective
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Along with his father and grandfather, Bambino gets to work sweeping up the stars in a cute, but wildly inaccurate, explanation for the phases of the Moon.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
20 June 2025
-
Board President Jodie Williams disagreed with Allman that the document was inaccurate, noting it had been prepared with guidance from the county.—
Karen Billing,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 June 2025
Verb
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Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1 golfer in the world defending his 2024 Travelers crown, matched Eckroat’s eagle on No. 13 to tie the lead and jumped into the top spot with a birdie on No. 15 about three and a half hours after Eckroat finished.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
19 June 2025
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With Butterfly Effect’s Manus, however, the initial buzz faded fast after developers testing Manus found that the model seemed error-prone and couldn’t match what the company had demonstrated.—
Alexandra Sternlicht,
Fortune,
18 June 2025
Adjective
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Consider a car engine: Removing deposits and sludge (inaccurate, outdated, irrelevant and incorrect information) reduces friction, while clean oil (large language models and AI) ensures smooth performance.—
Savinay Berry,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
-
Belief in other scientifically incorrect claims can be extremely dangerous.—
Mark Boslough,
Scientific American,
25 June 2025
Verb
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Several vehicles recklessly drove donuts in the middle of the road as a large crowd of spectators approached the intersection, police added.—
Ronn Blitzer , Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2025
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Anyone who sees him is urged not to approach and to call 911 immediately.—
Muri Assunção,
New York Daily News,
18 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Approximate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/approximate. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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