approximately

adverb

ap·​prox·​i·​mate·​ly ə-ˈpräk-sə-mət-lē How to pronounce approximately (audio)
: 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.

Examples of approximately in a Sentence

it takes approximately three hours to drive to Dallas
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
To put this into perspective, while CORONA photographed approximately 590 million square miles of the earth’s surface during its entire multiyear run, Planet photographs 186 million square miles every day. Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025 The covered wedge-like heel, measuring approximately seven inches, is a sight to behold and gave the actress a major boost in height. Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 27 Oct. 2025 According to data from Kayak, overall travel costs are trending slightly lower than last year, with average flight prices down approximately 2 percent, hotel rates down 3 percent, and rental car prices down 8 percent. Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 27 Oct. 2025 Each sclerite is approximately a tenth of a millimeter long. Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 27 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for approximately

Word History

First Known Use

1742, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of approximately was in 1742

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Cite this Entry

“Approximately.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/approximately. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

approximately

adverb
ap·​prox·​i·​mate·​ly
-mət-lē
: reasonably close to
approximately 5 miles
at approximately six o'clock

More from Merriam-Webster on approximately

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