approximately

adverb

ap·​prox·​i·​mate·​ly ə-ˈpräk-sə-mət-lē 

: in an approximate manner

an event in ancient history that can only be approximately dated

—used to indicate that a stated number, amount, or value is an approximation

Approximately [=around, about] 2,000 people attended the rally.

arrived at approximately 11:30 in the morning

During a lifetime, a person will take approximately 500 million breaths.

—Arthur S. Slutsky, M.D., et al.

Synonyms

• about
• around
• like
• more or less
• much
• near
• plus or minus
• roughly
• say
• some

Examples of approximately in a Sentence

it takes approximately three hours to drive to Dallas

Recent Examples on the Web

Augusta Gold had a working capital deficiency of approximately $32,000,000 as of September 30, 2024. —Quartz Bot, Quartz, 8 Nov. 2024

One bar is approximately equal to the air pressure at sea level on Earth. —Benjamin Roulston, Discover Magazine, 7 Nov. 2024

Upon returning six years later, Allen and McMahon noted that the rodents’ work resulted in approximately 40,000 healthy plants across the Pumice Plain and Bear Meadow, as well as the return of native gopher populations. —Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 7 Nov. 2024

Lucky For Life Drawings are held daily, seven days a week, at approximately 10:35 p.m. 01-09-14-38-45, Lucky Ball: 12 Feeling lucky? —Jordan Kellogg, The Enquirer, 6 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1742, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

approximately

adverb

ap·​prox·​i·​mate·​ly

-mət-lē

: reasonably close to

approximately 5 miles

at approximately six o'clock