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
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
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 decade-and-a-half-old Eckhaus Latta reflects a larger shift in what was once called hipster culture, from what the warm, cuddly and whimsical (early Eckhaus Latta collections were filled with colorful, easy knits and denim) to something hard and even chic.—
Rachel Tashjian,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
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Their commitment to entrepreneurship in service of community reflects FIT’s own core values and is a shining example for our students and beyond.—
Kimberly Nordyke,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Looking for the balance of gases in the atmosphere that matches the balance of today would be an example of overly restricting our search to planets that are similar to Earth in a way that would exclude most Earth-like planets throughout Earth’s entire history.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
17 Feb. 2026
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If the product information matches the recall, stop feeding it to your baby immediately.—
Sarah Scott,
Parents,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In one video clip, the suspect approaches the front door and raises a gloved hand to the camera outside the door before turning back.—
Alex Sundby,
CBS News,
17 Feb. 2026
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When a pedestrian approaches the crosswalk, the Waymo slows—even though the pedestrian hasn’t fully committed.—
Greg Mania,
New Yorker,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Approximates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/approximates. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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