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
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
26 June 2026
The wavelength at which the dropout occurs—determined by which filter it’s seen in—can reveal a galaxy’s approximate redshift.
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Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
19 June 2026
Manon Bischoff,
Scientific American,
19 June 2026
Only Pau Gasol, who won second-team All-Euroleague honors at 19 in 2001, could approximate it.
—
Sam Vecenie,
New York Times,
12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for approximate
Adjective
Prosecutors also cited Rinderknecht’s location at the approximate time of the fire’s ignition on New Year’s Eve 2024.
—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
26 June 2026
The wavelength at which the dropout occurs—determined by which filter it’s seen in—can reveal a galaxy’s approximate redshift.
—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
19 June 2026
Verb
So the aim for experts is to try to create a larger denominator to improve the fraction’s ability to approximate an irrational number.
—
Manon Bischoff,
Scientific American,
19 June 2026
Only Pau Gasol, who won second-team All-Euroleague honors at 19 in 2001, could approximate it.
—
Sam Vecenie,
New York Times,
12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for approximate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for approximate
Adjective
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Standard container dimensions also enable civilian transportation infrastructure to move military assets with relative ease, improving operational flexibility, reported SCMP.
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Another factor in the increasing scores across the board in Florida could be the relative youth of the FAST test, which was first used in 2022.
Adjective
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This commonly results from inaccurate color representation, poor fit or discrepancies between the physical item and its depiction on the website.
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Choi said McGee would use terminology that could have swayed a jury and sometimes provided an inaccurate window for a time of death.
Verb
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Trump blames vandalism for the troubles with the reflecting pool renovation, announces people are being arrested.
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The first-of-its-kind event reflected a party eager to experiment and broaden its appeal beyond the traditional political crowd.
Adjective
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Released Parties are also not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by site users, tampering, hacking, or by any equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Giveaway.
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At the same time, The New York Times reported that Google’s AI Overviews produced incorrect answers roughly one in 10 times.
Verb
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After deciding on the right type of pet, start the adoption process and lean on shelter staff to help match you with an animal that fits your lifestyle.
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Tim Edwards, Cal Fire Local 2881 president, says that the current salary calculation formula, which matches firefighter pay with other state workers salaries, does not account for inflation or the amount of overtime state firefighters are working.
Verb
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With group play coming to a close and the Round of 32 approaching, the competition is heating up as teams look to punch their tickets to the knockout round in hopes of hoisting the FIFA World Cup Trophy at the final on Sunday, July 19.
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Tracy had approached the team about a contract extension late in the 2005 season, a bold request considering the team’s record.
Cite this Entry
“Approximate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/approximate. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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