as in reflects
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
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of approximates
Forbes approximates that Jenner is worth $670 million.
—
Christopher Edwards, PEOPLE, 13 Apr. 2026
Some bakers find that adding lemon juice or vinegar to milk approximates buttermilk’s acidity adequately for their uses.
—Emily Saladino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 Mar. 2026
Nordic Knots approximates the color scheme in their percale duvet cover but much more subtly.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 11 Mar. 2026
Its suitability to our climate stems from its origin in the South African Cape Floristic Province, whose climate approximates our own, except our summers are a bit hotter.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 6 Mar. 2026
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
Rather, the league will enter a period of status quo that approximates normal working conditions.
—Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026
The following map approximates locations based on Newsweek's review of publicly available sources.
—Nick Mordowanec
john Feng, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
The scene is presented with a color adjustment that approximates white balancing to resemble how the rocks and sand would appear under daytime lighting conditions on Earth.
—IEEE Spectrum, 9 Aug. 2019
Christopher Edwards, PEOPLE, 13 Apr. 2026
Some bakers find that adding lemon juice or vinegar to milk approximates buttermilk’s acidity adequately for their uses.
—Emily Saladino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 Mar. 2026
Nordic Knots approximates the color scheme in their percale duvet cover but much more subtly.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 11 Mar. 2026
Its suitability to our climate stems from its origin in the South African Cape Floristic Province, whose climate approximates our own, except our summers are a bit hotter.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 6 Mar. 2026
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
Rather, the league will enter a period of status quo that approximates normal working conditions.
—Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026
The following map approximates locations based on Newsweek's review of publicly available sources.
—Nick Mordowanec
john Feng, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
The scene is presented with a color adjustment that approximates white balancing to resemble how the rocks and sand would appear under daytime lighting conditions on Earth.
—IEEE Spectrum, 9 Aug. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for approximates
Verb
-
The wave of towers reflects growing demand for luxury real estate and signals Miami’s ambitions as a global city, developers say.—
Catherine Odom,
Miami Herald,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Each edition reflects the voice and perspective of the person writing it.—
Angela Fritz,
CNN Money,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Mead has started 10 of Arsenal’s 17 WSL matches this season, and with her contract expiring in June — the same month as England’s final two qualifiers — her next move feels crucial.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2026
-
That closely matches the findings of a survey conducted earlier this year by the Jewish Federations of North America.—
Grace Gilson,
Sun Sentinel,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Argentine forward Lucas Boye approaches the game in a similarly powerful fashion for Alaves.—
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Smith said the travel board work will increase as election day approaches on May 5.—
Alexandra Kukulka,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Approximates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/approximates. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
