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
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Recent Examples of approximates
Lennox perfectly approximates Franklin’s confidence and repose on the cover of her latest album, Vacancy.
—
Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 7 May 2026
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
Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 7 May 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for approximates
Verb
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The uptick probably reflects the fact that many schools took enforcement seriously and that students turned to other disruptive behaviors.—
Greg Toppo,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
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More generally, this reflects Dhont’s approach to the war genre.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
12 May 2026
Verb
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And TelevisaUnivision has inked a slew of deals to keep up that cadence, including rights to CONMEBOL Libertadores and CONMEBOL Sudamericana, a renewal for CONCACAF’s Gold Cup and Nations League, and an extension for Mexican National Team matches through 2034.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
12 May 2026
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The pick-up in optimism matches other data characterizing speculative appetite amid this year's extraordinary surge in tech stocks.—
Oliver Renick,
CNBC,
12 May 2026
Verb
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That philosophy also shapes how the property approaches sustainability, through the language and practice.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
12 May 2026
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On Monday, May 11, Colbert welcomed guests Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers and John Oliver for a joint interview as The Late Show with Stephen Colbert approaches its final episodes.—
Brenton Blanchet,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Approximates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/approximates. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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