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
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 device is built around a stream of liquid that approximates the flow of blood and minimizes harmful shear forces on cells.
—IEEE Spectrum, 7 June 2019
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 device is built around a stream of liquid that approximates the flow of blood and minimizes harmful shear forces on cells.
—IEEE Spectrum, 7 June 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for approximates
Verb
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The initiative reflects broader efforts by city authorities and technology companies to explore how AI can improve customer service, accessibility, and operational efficiency in transportation hubs.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Mar. 2026
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Speaking during a meeting with investors and business leaders, Rodríguez said the initiative reflects Caracas’ intention to stabilize ties with Washington and deepen engagement after years of rupture.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Food Lion Food Lion is not a restaurant, but its food often matches the quality of one.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Mar. 2026
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This matches what sources told Reuters on Monday.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That thinking also shapes how the company approaches artificial intelligence.—
Elaine Yu,
CNBC,
25 Mar. 2026
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Announced during the agency’s Ignition event, the strategy reshapes how NASA approaches both lunar exploration and interplanetary missions.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Approximates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/approximates. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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