as in approximately
close to but not exactly
I have plus or minus five dollars in change
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 plus or minus
The margin of error was plus or minus 3%, with a 95% confidence interval.
—
Emily Dreibelbis, PCMAG, 9 Feb. 2023
The Post-ABC poll was conducted Jan. 27 through Feb. 1, 2023, among a random national sample of 1,003 adults and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points among the full sample and a larger error margin among subgroups.
—Scott Clement, BostonGlobe.com, 6 Feb. 2023
The Post-ABC poll was conducted Jan. 27 through Feb. 1, 2023, among a random national sample of 1,003 adults and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points among the full sample and a larger error margin among subgroups.
—Scott Clement, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2023
For the third quarter, the company guided for revenue of $2 billion, plus or minus $150 million.
—Kathryn Hardison, WSJ, 26 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for plus or minus
Emily Dreibelbis, PCMAG, 9 Feb. 2023
The Post-ABC poll was conducted Jan. 27 through Feb. 1, 2023, among a random national sample of 1,003 adults and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points among the full sample and a larger error margin among subgroups.
—Scott Clement, BostonGlobe.com, 6 Feb. 2023
The Post-ABC poll was conducted Jan. 27 through Feb. 1, 2023, among a random national sample of 1,003 adults and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points among the full sample and a larger error margin among subgroups.
—Scott Clement, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2023
For the third quarter, the company guided for revenue of $2 billion, plus or minus $150 million.
—Kathryn Hardison, WSJ, 26 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for plus or minus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plus or minus
Adverb
-
The journey is a true adventure that includes moderate to challenging hikes, but the reward is a wild, unspoiled jungle with magnificent wildlife encounters—Osa Peninsula hosts approximately 50% of all of the species found in Costa Rica.—
Meghan Palmer,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Boise State is nearing completion of its $70 million project, which will seat approximately 1,600 and feature amenities for student-athletes, such as a nutrition center and a lounge.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
28 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
The backstory The resort opened as The Nam Hai in 2006 and operated as such for about a decade before it was acquired by Four Seasons.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Officers believe the suspect is about 21-23 years old and drives an older model dark green Honda Civic.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
One of the sources said over 850 have been used so far in the conflict, roughly nine times the number of Tomahawks the Pentagon buys each year on average.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Reporting 61 events recorded at the 25+ report threshold versus a 2021-2025 average of roughly 43 – up about 42%, according to the American Meteor Society.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
According to Turner, Kaiko and her littermates lived outdoors in a pen from birth until she was rescued at around nine months old.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Over the years since its mission began in 1978, the force has lost around 340 members.—
Lucia I Suarez Sang,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plus or minus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plus%20or%20minus. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
