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
Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 8 Apr. 2025
To Sturzenegger, that was in the approximate vicinity where Warren said the initial searches for Brick took place.
—David Chiu, People.com, 14 May 2025
Lawrence D. Freedman, Foreign Affairs, 14 Apr. 2025
Instead, the vodka is artificially flavored to approximate it.
—Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for approximate
Adjective
Jeanty’s approximate 5-minute segment followed him from a signing ceremony with his agency, Disruptive Sports, to predraft workouts.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 8 Apr. 2025
To Sturzenegger, that was in the approximate vicinity where Warren said the initial searches for Brick took place.
—David Chiu, People.com, 14 May 2025
Verb
Even if such a war ends with something approximating a victory, the population would likely be shattered and the state drained of all spare capacity.
—Lawrence D. Freedman, Foreign Affairs, 14 Apr. 2025
Instead, the vodka is artificially flavored to approximate it.
—Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for approximate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for approximate
Adjective
-
Liverpool was a relative longshot to win the league crown entering the season.—
Kurt Badenhausen,
Sportico.com,
24 May 2025
-
Somehow, the Rose Garden maintained a relative tranquility, and from it, Trump spoke to the American people.—
Chelsea Bailey,
CNN Money,
24 May 2025
Verb
-
Some public health experts have noted that this omission may reflect food industry influence.—
Paul Dawson,
The Conversation,
26 May 2025
-
In December 2023, Lennox celebrated one year of sobriety and reflected on her journey via Instagram.—
Elizabeth Ayoola,
Essence,
26 May 2025
Adjective
-
Ortega also explained that her age makes people assume an inaccurate sense of naiveté.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
28 May 2025
-
But this is inaccurate as grid-scale storage batteries (BESS) can resolve this problem.—
Ian Dexter Palmer,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2025
Verb
-
Unlike last season, when the top-four seeds and first-round byes were reserved for conference champions, the top seeds will match the selection committee’s final rankings, with no regard to league affiliation.—
Ralph D. Russo,
New York Times,
27 May 2025
-
One set of trousers and underwear matched Mulcahy’s DNA, and the other matched Duffy’s, corroborating his confession.—
Sarah Beckwith,
New Yorker,
26 May 2025
Adjective
-
If a project fails because the decision to go ahead with the project turns out to be incorrect (which should happen frequently), that failure should not bear on the manager responsible for the project.—
Tim Koller,
Time,
20 May 2025
-
The court had to issue a letter stating the interpretation was incorrect.—
Bob Carlson,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
Verb
-
As the wide-ranging conversation was approaching its end, Wood seized the opportunity to offer a long-overdue apology to Handler.—
Lacey Rose,
HollywoodReporter,
25 May 2025
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When Arielle was once at a company event with Justin, someone approached her for an introduction to him, and couldn’t contain their excitement.—
David Hill,
Rolling Stone,
24 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Approximate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/approximate. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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