as in approaching
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
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as in equivalent
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of approximating
Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2025
Today, Milan and Inter are closer and yet still years away from having something approximating it.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
For decades, physicists have attempted to do so by approximating the quantum field as a discrete lattice of points.
—Shalma Wegsman, Quanta Magazine, 5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Reminiscent of Polanski’s Repulsion in its nightmarish depiction of an unraveling mind, Vicious, which was initially slated for a theatrical release but is instead streaming on Paramount+, doesn’t come close to approximating its greatness.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2025
Today, Milan and Inter are closer and yet still years away from having something approximating it.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
For decades, physicists have attempted to do so by approximating the quantum field as a discrete lattice of points.
—Shalma Wegsman, Quanta Magazine, 5 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for approximating
Verb
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The driver's identity hasn't been released and it's not yet known whether the crash was intentional, or why the man had been approaching the White House at the time, the newspaper noted.—
Becca Longmire,
PEOPLE,
22 Oct. 2025
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And with both the holiday-shopping season fast approaching and the latest ransomware attack on Muji’s logistics and delivery servicer Askul, some IT experts are warning all to be even more vigilant.—
Vicki M. Young,
Footwear News,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA).—
Keith Caulfield,
Billboard,
26 Oct. 2025
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The sedan delivers an electric-only range of about 80 miles and achieves fuel consumption equivalent to roughly 84 miles per gallon, offering a total driving range of 1,335 miles.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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While reflecting on her first performance, Furtado remembered buying the pink dress from a store called Original on Queen West in Toronto, and also picking up some sparkly platform shoes for the monumental moment.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
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Designed to plug directly into a smartphone or PC, the P3’s aluminum alloy body is sleek and sturdy, with the design definitely reflecting Thermal Master's aim for both portability and quality.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Chen Ming, a researcher at the Centre for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research and a co-author of the study, explained that the impact released energy equivalent to 600,000 tonnes of TNT – comparable to the destructive force of 40 Hiroshima-sized atomic bombs.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Oct. 2025
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Intel's adjusted earnings of 23 cents per share was not comparable to analyst estimates.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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North swapped out Tyler's pants for a matching miniskirt and added a microphone and a pair of black sunglasses to top off the look.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
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What is the Powerball payout on matching 2 lottery numbers?—
Chris Sims,
IndyStar,
26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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That being said, the Consumer Price Index has followed an almost identical trajectory from Q420 to the most recent figures, meaning spending is merely in line with inflation.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
27 Oct. 2025
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In the 1980s and ’90s, Colombia’s cocaine cartels controlled entire regions through intimidation, corruption and fear tactics that are nearly identical to what’s now unfolding in parts of Mexico.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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To affordably resolve the vast space between the Sun and the planets, researchers divide the space into large cubes—analogous to two-dimensional pixels in a camera.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
24 Oct. 2025
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Last year’s analogous doubleheader averaged just shy of 3 million viewers on TNT, which translates to an 87% lift for NBC’s coverage.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The show is equal parts investigation into the craft of writing and conversation about the topics of an author’s work.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
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Madrid enters the match in strong form, with Jude Bellingham continuing to be the driving force from midfield, contributing goals and creativity in equal measure.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Approximating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/approximating. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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