approximating 1 of 2

adjective

as in equivalent

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Dissimilar Words

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
Uncanny too were the dusty pinks, approximating Penn’s beloved, nearly transparent poppies. — Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 22 June 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for approximating
  1. equivalent
  2. approaching
  3. comparable
  4. reflecting
  5. identical
  6. matching
  7. analogous
  8. equal
Adjective
  • Its headcount, however, has continued to reduce, with a net reduction of 400 equivalent full-time roles by March 2026.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 14 July 2026
  • Workforce reductions continued in parallel, with public service headcount falling by a net 400 full-time equivalent roles in the past year alone, part of a decline of more than 2,200 roles, or over 10%, since 2019/20.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 July 2026
Definition of equivalent
Verb
  • No player approaching 40 can press or attack with the same intensity throughout the whole match.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 15 July 2026
  • And with Acuña’s return approaching and some more help with the pitching staff, their injury look could turn the other way.
    — AJC.com, AJC.com, 15 July 2026
Definition of approaching
Adjective
  • The compensation study completed last December showed many positions were at or above the 50th percentile among comparable agencies, including the Folsom Parks and Recreation Department and Cameron Park Community Services District.
    — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 15 July 2026
  • The Dominican Republic hasn’t hosted a multisport competition of comparable scale since the 2003 Pan American Games.
    — Vera Lucia Pappaterra, Miami Herald, 14 July 2026
Definition of comparable
Verb
  • The exhibit, reflecting an especially vibrant period in Mexican history, has drawn record crowds, exceeding 300,000.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026
  • This material presents information through the date indicated, reflecting the author’s current expectations, and is subject to revision by the author, though the author is under no obligation to do so.
    — Katie Stockton, CNBC, 13 July 2026
Definition of reflecting
Adjective
  • Their hairdos are almost identical as well, even if Dany’s is more elaborate.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
  • But on Wednesday, the day after Mexico beat Ecuador 2-0 to secure its fourth consecutive World Cup victory, the fan and his wife, Angélica Arias, walked to the plaza wearing two identical caps.
    — Eduard Cauich, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
Definition of identical
Verb
  • Austria, under Ralf Rangnick, play fluid, relentless football but Jordan made a decent fist of their first World Cup match, creating nine chances despite having just 37 per cent possession and matching Austria’s 11 shot attempts.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 5 July 2026
  • In the series of photos, Brooks, 30, showed off her wedding look — a matching pink halter and skirt set with pink bow pumps — and shared a grainy Polaroid picture of her and Hemsworth, 36.
    — Ilana Kaplan, PEOPLE, 5 July 2026
Definition of matching
Adjective
  • Quantum versions of many classic math problems also come with analogous quantum proofs.
    — Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 6 July 2026
  • Moreover, the timeline for doing all this is roughly analogous as well – a matter of weeks, once the fissile material is in hand.
    — Ilan Berman, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of analogous
Adjective
  • Molinar’s settlement is equal to the sum of one year’s salary and benefits, according to the separation agreement released by Fort Worth ISD officials on Tuesday in response to an open records request.
    — Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026
  • If, by chance, Mbappe and Messi were to end the tournament with an equal number of goals and assists, the award would go to the player who achieved those goals/assists in the fewest number of minutes.
    — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 14 July 2026
Definition of equal

Browse Nearby Words

approximates
approximating
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Cite this Entry

“Approximating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/approximating. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of approximating for Spanish Speakers

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