APPROXIMATE Synonyms: 112 Similar and Opposite Words

approximate 1 of 2

adjective

ə-ˈpräk-sə-mət

Definition of approximate

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

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

approximate

2 of 2

verb

ə-ˈpräk-sə-ˌmāt

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

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 approximate

Adjective

This phone doesn’t have the wide frame of the new Z Fold 8, instead matching the approximate size and shape of the company’s last few tablet-style foldables. — ArsTechnica, 14 Aug. 2026 The sedan sat poised on the approximate 18-inch barrier on its undercarriage. — Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026

Verb

Execution reflects strategy consistently, rather than approximating it. — Don Dodds, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026 Others respond with something that better approximates a real argument. — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for approximate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for approximate

Adjective

Paramount brass resisted casting a relative unknown named Al Pacino, whose only previous starring film role was as a junkie in The Panic in Needle Park.

— Tom Tapp, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2026
Even after selling the team 10 months ago, morphing the Lakers from a relative mom-and-pop shop to a massive corporation, the presence of the Buss family still couldn’t be missed.

— Marcus Thompson II, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of relative

Adjective

Travelers can place too much trust in a confident but inaccurate answer.

— Jeff Fromm, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Viral posts outlining ways to find AI tool hacks are now commonplace, but this also means an increase in factually inaccurate claims that are seen by millions of people.

— James Peckham, PC Magazine, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of inaccurate

Verb

The telescope may even be able to glimpse light reflecting off the tops of clouds on these planets.

— Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
The integration of laser systems on the lightweight, highly mobile ISV platform reflects a commitment to scalable, adaptable, and expeditionary force protection solutions.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of reflect

Verb

Williams ripped off a 49-yard kickoff return in the first preseason game, and that matched his tape from last year.

— Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
The soft, stretchy fabric moves with you across terminals without bunching or binding, and because the top and bottom are already matched, getting dressed at the crack of dawn requires zero thought.

— Jill Layton, PEOPLE, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of match

Verb

While the weather forecast does not project any kind of heat wave this week, temperatures on the surface of the Open’s acrylic-on-asphalt hard courts can approach 120 degrees after hours of direct sunlight.

— Aaron Short, Curbed, 3 Sep. 2026
Tropical Storm Edouard is expected to strengthen and could approach hurricane strength before making landfall.

— Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of approach

Browse Nearby Words

approving (of)

approximate

approximated

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Style

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

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Synonyms of approximate

adjective

verb

Example Sentences

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