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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of approximating
Drew Kann, AJC.com, 12 Jan. 2026
The ideal scenario would see Wiggins approximating what Horton did this year, but that was a unique case of elite talent aligning with opportunity and player development.
—Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
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
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
In the others, researchers cranked up the heat in greenhouses, approximating the effects of global warming.
—Drew Kann, AJC.com, 12 Jan. 2026
The ideal scenario would see Wiggins approximating what Horton did this year, but that was a unique case of elite talent aligning with opportunity and player development.
—Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
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
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
-
Eight petitions didn’t meet the narrow criteria for resentencing — in four cases, for example, the petitioner’s sentence was not considered to be equivalent to life without parole — and nine petitions are pending.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
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Viewing this new policy as equivalent to fomenting slave rebellion, the South rejected any exchange of Black soldiers and did not extend them the protections of prisoners of war.—
Drew Gilpin Faust,
The Atlantic,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In the attack, suspects were identified approaching the yellow line in southern Khan Younis and were deemed a threat to the troops.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
5 Feb. 2026
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At one point, Woods tapped the back of his head, signaling that the seal was approaching.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The unit reported 20 quarters of comparable sales growth under his leadership.—
Alexander Coolidge,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
9 Feb. 2026
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The result is that all the protons and electrons in the star are crushed into neutrons, and the mass of the incredibly dense object remains comparable to the sun, but the size is comparable to a city, as explained by NASA.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The construction industry added 33,000 jobs in January, with robust gains for specialty trade contractors, likely reflecting demand from data centers, experts noted.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
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Skyscrapers line city streets, reflecting an 8% economic growth rate, among the highest in the world, and a stock market that soared 37% last year in dollar terms.—
Nicholas D. Kristof,
Mercury News,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The charred layer at the surface is identical to the black leftover log from a campfire.—
Tim Carter,
Hartford Courant,
7 Feb. 2026
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Its 127-year lineage was verified by the pristine ‘1899’ cork marking, incredibly still visible through the glass — bearing the identical, historical font of the Domaine itself.—
Pin Yen Tan 9 min ago,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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What is the Powerball payout on matching 2 lottery numbers?—
Chris Sims,
IndyStar,
5 Feb. 2026
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Heading into 2026 the Red Sox look capable of at least matching last year’s club, which finished third in the AL East, made the playoffs and lost to the New York Yankees in the AL Wild Card Series.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The possibility of the Justice Department releasing the emails upon Congressional order seven years later would have been an unlikely scenario for Karp to imagine, though ironically there was an analogous set of circumstances in the Gruden case.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
5 Feb. 2026
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Inoculation theory proposes that psychological inoculation – analogous to getting a medical vaccination – can immunize people against persuasive attacks.—
Bingbing Zhang,
The Conversation,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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When looking at Mound, Richardson, Lanana, for example, a viewer can focus on how it is divided into three equal parts from left to right, or on its alternating light-and-dark grid of diamonds, or on the smallest, 9-by-9 grid of stitched squares.—
Benjamin Lima
Special Contributor,
Dallas Morning News,
7 Feb. 2026
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Women deserve an equal playing field.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Approximating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/approximating. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
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