approximating 1 of 2

approximating

2 of 2

verb

present participle of approximate
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

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 approximating
Verb
The National Football League, for all its flaws, understands the commercial necessity of approximating fairness. Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2026 Enlarging the circle improves accuracy by better approximating a true circle. Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 25 May 2026 The band sounds a little like the Police approximating Weather Report, but Parker sounds much like the very guitarist who would join Tortoise and build the ETA IVTet—his tone incisive and notes restrained, his choices forever relating to the rhythm. Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 30 Apr. 2026 So, which games are best for approximating the challenges Artemis will face in settling the moon's surface? Alan Bradley, Space.com, 22 Apr. 2026 During these tests, the platform demonstrated its ability to perform tasks in conditions approximating real combat scenarios. Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 9 Apr. 2026 Only the handful of relegation-proof Premier League clubs have anything approximating US sport franchise valuations, because everyone else’s value could evaporate as a result of a bad season or two. Andrés Martinez, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026 In the field of cosmology, approximating dark energy with a cosmological constant has been remarkably successful since its presence was first revealed in the late 1990s. Big Think, 1 Apr. 2026 The authors suggest that the Democratic preference, approximating a more native pronunciation, was motivated by greater multicultural sensitivity. Valerie M. Fridland, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for approximating
Adjective
  • Beauty, then, arises from the pain and struggle of experiencing oneself as a site of divine truancy, and ugly is that which pretends to be directly equivalent to the soul, God, etc.
    Esther Yi, New Yorker, 14 June 2026
  • Both sales and streams are included in the ranking's methodology, and according to Luminate, 35 Biggest Hits moved another 16,600 equivalent units in the tracking frame reflected on the current lists between those two consumption metrics.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026
Verb
  • Until the oil market truly returns back to something approaching normal, the system will continue to rely on those stockpiles.
    David Goldman, CNN Money, 19 June 2026
  • Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said air defenses shot down more than 130 drones approaching the city.
    Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 18 June 2026
Adjective
  • McGeady’s career was not, in the nicest possible way, comparable to Ronaldinho, but the two-touch spin became his trademark and will be familiar to gamers, as well as to Celtic, Spartak Moscow, Everton and Sunderland fans.
    Stuart James, New York Times, 16 June 2026
  • Sources interviewed for this story said that broadly speaking, prices remain high for contemporary works, despite the fact that comparable works can often be found for considerably less at auction.
    Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 15 June 2026
Verb
  • Pricing sits at the upper end of the Turkish market, reflecting the case complexity ASMED tends to accept.
    Ascend Agency, Daily News, 17 June 2026
  • Now retired, Engoron sat down with CBS News for his first on-camera interview since the 2023 trial, reflecting on his career and the highs and lows of his moment in the spotlight.
    Graham Kates, CBS News, 17 June 2026
Adjective
  • An InStyle writer discovered that Quince’s $140 Italian Leather Mini Bowler Crossbody Satchel is a near-identical lookalike to a popular $3,750 Miu Miu bag.
    Olivia Cigliano, InStyle, 13 June 2026
  • The braking setup is identical too, with a single dual-piston caliper and 290-mm disc up front, and a 220-mm disc with a two-piston caliper for the rear.
    Utkarsh Sood June 13, New Atlas, 13 June 2026
Verb
  • California Highway Patrol officers began pursuing a vehicle matching the suspect's description near Castaic Lake.
    Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 19 June 2026
  • Sasha opted for a white off-shoulder top with a matching skirt, paired with a thick brown belt featuring a large circular buckle.
    Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 18 June 2026
Adjective
  • Branding experts have lately been posing an analogous question to their clients about Generation Alpha, roughly defined as anyone under the age of 15.
    Greg Petro, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
  • He was asked why there hasn’t been analogous progress by the men’s national team.
    Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 June 2026
Adjective
  • In 1986, eager to shift the burden away from taxpayers, Congress mandated that new presidential libraries raise an endowment equal to 20% of the cost, for future maintenance.
    Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 14 June 2026
  • Instead, fill a spray bottle with equal parts vinegar and warm water and after blotting the stain dry, spray the solution onto the affected area.
    Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 14 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Approximating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/approximating. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.

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