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
Jack Albright, jsonline.com, 22 July 2025
Its approximate opening date was not immediately available Thursday afternoon.
—Kansas City Star, 17 July 2025
Gregory Barber, Quanta Magazine, 20 June 2025
While a third associate, Don Olson, positioned a camera, the others prepared the melons, which were wrapped in two-inch fiberglass tape to better approximate the qualities of a human skull.
—Alec Nevala-Lee
june 11, Literary Hub, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for approximate
Adjective
The victims are a 50-year-old and an approximate 40-year-old.
—Jack Albright, jsonline.com, 22 July 2025
Its approximate opening date was not immediately available Thursday afternoon.
—Kansas City Star, 17 July 2025
Verb
For Woodin, the dream is to build an inner model that truly approximates V and therefore includes all the large cardinals.
—Gregory Barber, Quanta Magazine, 20 June 2025
While a third associate, Don Olson, positioned a camera, the others prepared the melons, which were wrapped in two-inch fiberglass tape to better approximate the qualities of a human skull.
—Alec Nevala-Lee
june 11, Literary Hub, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for approximate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for approximate
Adjective
-
The report highlights that the relative weight of the audiovisual sector in the Madrid economy is also bigger in terms of employment – 2.8% of Madrid region vs. 2.1% of Spain.—
Emiliano De Pablos,
Variety,
24 July 2025
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It could have been seen as a sign that the club, who had won the most recent of their 18 league titles over 20 years before, could not hold onto their top players in the face of pressure from moneyed and successful relative newcomers at the top table.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
24 July 2025
Verb
-
Currently, charting songs from ten of those performers equal 50 percent of the all-genre Hot 100 charts' top 20 and 40 percent of the top 50 hits, reflecting Nashville's influence.—
Marcus K. Dowling,
The Tennessean,
26 July 2025
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Sandler is also an avid sports fan, which is often reflected in his films.—
Skyler Trepel,
EW.com,
25 July 2025
Adjective
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The two have had to step carefully during their tenure together, with McAfee once criticizing a top ESPN executive on air, and allowing one guest, Aaron Rodgers, to make inaccurate claims about coronavirus vaccines.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
15 July 2025
-
At least that error yields an answer to the question posed, albeit an inaccurate one.—
Ian Bogost,
The Atlantic,
14 July 2025
Verb
-
The clip shows a small child bouncing inside a hotel room, a visual that perfectly matches the mom's advice.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 July 2025
-
Instead, choose plants (especially natives) that match your site’s light, soil, and moisture conditions.—
Erica Browne Grivas,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 July 2025
Adjective
-
One company statement referenced the video and stories related to it by pointing out incorrect information.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
19 July 2025
-
Andy Byron has not put out any statement; reports saying otherwise are all incorrect.—
James Bickerton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 July 2025
Verb
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Surveillance video appears to show a man in a white shirt — later identified by cops as Mora Nunez — get off the moped and approach them from behind, gun in hand.—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
25 July 2025
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As midnight approached at the Aviva stadium, Lookman proudly posed for photos in the afterglow of his hat-trick in the final in Dublin, a display that secured the club its first trophy in nearly 60 years.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
24 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Approximate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/approximate. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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