1
as in relative
being such only when compared to something else
the movie's an approximate success, if you can overlook the overblown publicity that preceded it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in approximative
not precisely correct
police could only give us an approximate count of the number of people who attended the air show
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to reflect
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
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Recent Examples of approximate
Wilder Davies, Bon Appétit, 14 Jan. 2025
Icelandair is offering an approximate initial fare of $549.
—Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2025
Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 18 Nov. 2024
Tines has the vocal power to approximate Robeson’s majestic lower tones, but this hard-to-classify project, which Tines created with the director Zack Winokur, is most potent when the singer abandons bass regions and reaches into his eerily piercing falsetto register.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for approximate
Adjective
The machine will then add a preprogrammed amount of water from the reservoir based on the weight in the pot and provide you with an approximate cooking time, depending on the setting.
—Wilder Davies, Bon Appétit, 14 Jan. 2025
Icelandair is offering an approximate initial fare of $549.
—Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2025
Verb
The actress’ biggest challenge was trying to approximate Baez’s singing voice, a more classically beautiful instrument than Dylan’s.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 18 Nov. 2024
Tines has the vocal power to approximate Robeson’s majestic lower tones, but this hard-to-classify project, which Tines created with the director Zack Winokur, is most potent when the singer abandons bass regions and reaches into his eerily piercing falsetto register.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for approximate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for approximate
Adjective
-
Soil pH The relative acidity or alkalinity of the soil affects how well roses can access nutrients in the soil.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
2 Mar. 2025
-
By contrast, the Druze who ended up on the Israeli side of the Golan gained relative security, democratic freedoms and economic opportunity.—
Uriel Heilman,
New York Daily News,
2 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
At a Newsweek Horizons event in December, a panel of experts reflected on the last round of U.N. talks in Busan, South Korea, and what's at stake in the next negotiations.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
4 Mar. 2025
-
The Balinese holiday commemorates the start of the Hindu new year, which is when people take the time to stop, reflect, and rest.—
Essence,
Essence,
3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Maybe the most contentious issue ever to divide these two camps is whether or not to replace notoriously inaccurate human home plate umpires with less fallible machines.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
21 Feb. 2025
-
MRIs are generally considered safe for pregnant people but are not recommended, as the fetus may lead the results to be inaccurate.—
Suchandrima Bhowmik,
Health,
20 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Stone paired the look with matching burgundy satin sandals from the brand and also wore Louis Vuitton High Jewelry pieces from the Deep Time collection.—
Raven Brunner,
People.com,
3 Mar. 2025
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Scarlett Johanssen In De Beers The awards presenter chose more than 80 carats of diamonds by De Beers London, including the Midnight Aura necklace and earrings, to accessorize her sapphire blue velvet Thierry Mugler gown and matching gloves.—
Kate Matthams,
Forbes,
3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Fixes an issue where certain text hints in combat were incorrect when using a Friend's Support character Trailblazer.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
Newsweek,
26 Feb. 2025
-
But a New York Times analysis of the $55 billion in savings claimed by DOGE found that the math is marred with accounting errors, incorrect assumptions, outdated data and other mistakes.—
Talmon Joseph Smith,
New York Times,
22 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
This panel will dive into the art of the cold read, providing actors with the tools to approach any audition with confidence, preparation, and authenticity.—
Essence,
Essence,
3 Mar. 2025
-
European leaders, who near-universally backed Zelensky after the Oval Office showdown, have called for an immediate summit to discuss how to approach peace talks with Russia.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
2 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Approximate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/approximate. Accessed 6 Mar. 2025.
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