as in equivalent
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Dissimilar Words
as in approaching
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 approximating
Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 14 Dec. 2025
Reminiscent of Polanski’s Repulsion in its nightmarish depiction of an unraveling mind, Vicious, which was initially slated for a theatrical release but is instead streaming on Paramount+, doesn’t come close to approximating its greatness.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2025
Today, Milan and Inter are closer and yet still years away from having something approximating it.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
For decades, physicists have attempted to do so by approximating the quantum field as a discrete lattice of points.
—Shalma Wegsman, Quanta Magazine, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
Each module covered a 36° segment of the ring, approximating the continuous boundary predicted by theory.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 14 Dec. 2025
Reminiscent of Polanski’s Repulsion in its nightmarish depiction of an unraveling mind, Vicious, which was initially slated for a theatrical release but is instead streaming on Paramount+, doesn’t come close to approximating its greatness.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2025
Today, Milan and Inter are closer and yet still years away from having something approximating it.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
For decades, physicists have attempted to do so by approximating the quantum field as a discrete lattice of points.
—Shalma Wegsman, Quanta Magazine, 5 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for approximating
Adjective
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The amount produced by this observed event is, therefore, equivalent to turning the entire mass of the Sun into pure energy (E = mc²).—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Nov. 2025
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That is equivalent to about $108.—
Daniel Gonzalez,
USA Today,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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But videos captured by other observers and members of the public show an ICE agent approaching a Honda Pilot that was stopped on a snowy road and ordering the driver — later identified as Good — to open the door before grabbing the handle.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
9 Jan. 2026
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Videos of the shooting in Minnesota showed federal agents approaching Good’s SUV stopped in the middle of a neighborhood street.—
Emily Holshouser,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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After an office romance begins, employee retention at the organization drops by six percentage points, meaning turnover is 14% greater than in comparable firms.—
Emily Nix,
Fortune,
9 Nov. 2025
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Putting aside the visceral appeal of the reference to insider trading, are these allegations actually comparable to criminal insider trading in the securities regime?—
Samidh Guha,
ABC News,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Wenzhou cuisine—known for seafood—is particularly prominent, reflecting the neighborhood’s large immigrant community from Wenzhou, Zhejiang, in eastern part of China.—
Angela Lian,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
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The Danny & Coop’s guys sat on the couch and asked the anchors for their thoughts on the cheesesteaks before reflecting on the restaurant’s one-year milestone.—
Sabrina Weiss,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The exclusive variant looks almost identical to the base version, aside from a Black Optic trim package, but features a more powerful V-8 that pumps out 467 hp.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
6 Jan. 2026
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This pair from Everlane, which has a comfortable wide leg and classic mid-rise fit, looks nearly identical.—
Kaelin Dodge,
InStyle,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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There to support husband George, who is nominated for Best Male Actor, Motion Picture, Musical/Comedy at the 2026 ceremony for his performance in Jay Kelly, Amal added diamond drop earrings, a matching diamond bracelet, and a neat box clutch in that same traffic-stopping shade of red.—
Kerry McDermott,
Vogue,
12 Jan. 2026
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Meanwhile, Bell opted for a two piece moment — pairing a strapless rose gold beaded Ashi Studio bustier with a matching floor-length skirt.—
Katie Hill,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The story positions the protagonist’s work as analogous to nurturing a child.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
9 Jan. 2026
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The international sphere faces analogous pressures.—
Klaus Schwab,
Time,
5 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The show is equal parts investigation into the craft of writing and conversation about the topics of an author’s work.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
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An erg is a unit of energy equal to 10−7 joules (100 nJ).—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Approximating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/approximating. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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