APPROACHING Synonyms: 95 Similar and Opposite Words

approaching 1 of 2

adjective

as in upcoming

being soon to appear or take place the approaching holiday has everyone in a state of excitement

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

approaching

2 of 2

verb

present participle of approach

as in coming

to come near or nearer the parade's approaching! I can hear the band playing!

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in nearing

to move closer to approach the bull with caution

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in approximating

to come near or nearer to in character or quality his store-bought dessert doesn't even approach your homemade version of it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of approaching

Adjective

August 29, the fictional date (in 1997) of the franchise’s original nuclear holocaust, is fast approaching, and Judgment Day is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. — ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026 Not only is retirement looming at some not-too-distant time, but the college drop-off is fast approaching. — Ken Stern, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026 The time for my wife and me to say goodbye was fast approaching. — John Biemer, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026 Fall is fast approaching, but the Red Sox look like their spring selves again in the worst way. — Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 12 Aug. 2026 While the deadline is fast approaching, Montour keeps working away. — Christine Haughney Dare-Bryan, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026 The Minnesota State Fair is fast approaching, and this year there will be several new attractions, vendors and rides. — Aki Nace, CBS News, 30 July 2026 The point is, the way Social Security is currently set up, the day of reckoning is fast approaching. — Bydoug Ashburn, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 July 2026 So, with another knockout game fast approaching, will Messi step up if Argentina is awarded another spot kick? — Ben Church, CNN Money, 11 July 2026

Verb

Edouard is approaching the same region impacted by Tropical Storm Arthur in June and Tropical Storm Bertha in July. — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026 This coexistence of the everyday and the extraordinary suggested to me a cinematic way of approaching death – not as a spectacular intrusion, but as a presence that slowly infiltrates daily life. — Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026 But his appeal to the Iranian population comes as the administration increasingly portrays Tehran as approaching an internal breaking point. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026 Getting Your Financials In Order Before approaching a lender, make sure your financials are current and accurate. — Joseph Lustberg, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026 Meanwhile, flu and COVID infections are on the rise, students are returning to school, and the fall and winter respiratory season is approaching. — Rob Stein, NPR, 2 Sep. 2026 Kennedy—born in 1928 and now approaching his ninety-ninth birthday—began his career as a newspaper reporter. — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026 The mayor of Moscow said approximately 21 Ukrainian drones had been intercepted while approaching the capital city around the same time. — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 1 Sep. 2026 By August, the Associated Press reported nearly 97 million people under dangerous heat conditions, with heat indexes approaching 115°F. — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for approaching

Adjective

If the upcoming tests continue to validate the design, the 24-round reusable pod could become one of JR3’s biggest advantages.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
The upcoming 17-day FIBA break could be an opportunity for a new player to acclimate to Hammon’s system in Las Vegas.

— Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of upcoming

Verb

This is my personal version of those videos of soldiers coming home from war, and the other women react as such.

— Tom Smyth, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
From a design-forward city escape to an eco-friendly island retreat (and a uniquely historic getaway coming soon), discover what Patina can offer globe-trotters interested in a transformative way of traveling through life and through the world.

— Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of coming

Verb

Today, fifth-generation Fiorentinos are the custodians of this old-world, grandest of grand hotels, nearing its 200th anniversary.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Sep. 2026
Only six teams have received fewer innings from their starting rotation than Houston, overworking a bullpen that is nearing exhaustion.

— Chandler Rome, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of nearing

Verb

At this point in the news cycle, unity, or at least something approximating it, needs to be the chief league objective.

— Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
The show imagines communities centered on the Mississippi River, which flows through Minneapolis, and the installation echoes a riverbed, with platforms approximating islands.

— Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of approximating

Adjective

After a freak accident, Frank the bunny appears in an outstandingly creepy fashion to inform Donnie Darko of the world's impending doom.

— Grace Dean, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026
The prank came amid rumors about Stern’s impending retirement and the cancellation of his show.

— Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of impending

Verb

The Athletic reported that the relationship between Villa chairman Nassef Sawiris and PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi was seen as key to closing the deal.

— The Athletic UK Staff, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Reserves matter more than in conventional lending; underwriters like to see several months of housing payments sitting in the bank after closing, and more for larger loans.

— Karen Koehler, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of closing

Verb

However, entering June, crude prices pulled back significantly, while retail gasoline prices declined at a markedly slower pace.

— , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Late Thursday, Hoffenberg shared with the Tribune a two-hour surveillance video that, at one point, shows Landek and Hoffenberg entering the frame in mid-conversation.

— Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of entering

Verb

Her hair was styled in intricate cornrows — Iverson’s signature style during the late 1990s into the 2000s — paired with a red and black headband, reflecting Iverson’s team, the Philadelphia 76ers.

— Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026
The tableware was also developed in collaboration with Ginori 1735 with an exclusive variation of the Diva collection created specifically for the restaurant, reflecting the terracotta hue that is one of the main colors.

— Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of reflecting

Browse Nearby Words

approaches

approaching

approbate

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Approaching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/approaching. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of approaching

adjective

verb

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