approach
verb
ap·proach
| \ ə-ˈprōch
\
\
approached;
approaching;
approaches
Definition of approach
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: to draw closer to : near
approach a destination
b
: to come very near to : to be almost the same as
… its mathematics approaches mysticism.— Theodore Sturgeon as the quantity x approaches zero
2a
: to make advances to especially in order to create a desired result
was approached by several Broadway producers
b
: to take preliminary steps toward accomplishment or full knowledge or experience of
Try to approach the subject with an open mind.
approach
noun
plural approaches
Definition of approach (Entry 2 of 2)
1a
: an act or instance of approaching
the approach of summer
b
: approximation
In this book he makes his closest approach to greatness.
2a
: the taking of preliminary steps toward a particular purpose
experimenting with new lines of approach
b
: a particular manner of taking such steps
a highly individual approach to language
3
: a means of access : avenue
4a
or approach shot
: a golf shot from the fairway toward the green
b
: the steps taken by a bowler before delivering the ball
also
: the part of the alley behind the foul line from which the bowler delivers the ball
5
: the descent of an aircraft toward a landing place
The plane was on final approach.
6
: the surgical procedure or path by which access is gained to a bodily part
A lateral approach was used to direct a 25-gauge, 10-cm spinal needle onto the articular pillar adjacent to the target joint.— Leslie Barnsley et al.
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Synonyms & Antonyms for approach
Synonyms: Verb
belly up, close, close in, come up, draw on, near, nigh
Synonyms: Noun
avenue, passage, path, route, way
Antonyms: Verb
back (up or away), recede, retire, retreat, withdraw
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Examples of approach in a Sentence
Verb
The cat approached the baby cautiously. Ease off the gas pedal to slow down as the bend in the road approaches. We are approaching the end of the fiscal year. This weekend we're expecting temperatures approaching 100 degrees. The success rates approach 90 percent. He has a wild laugh that sometimes approaches hysteria. a reproduction that approaches the quality of the original painting The supervisor is quite easy to approach, so don't hesitate to bring up any problems you have. We were advised to never be too aggressive when approaching a potential client.Noun
trying a more healthy approach The cat made a cautious approach. The quiet afternoon was interrupted by the approach of a motorboat. A loud growl warned us of the bear's approach. With the approach of summer came longer, hotter days.
Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
The office workers were interrupted in their eating by an approaching street musician, a trombone player, who also wore Thom Browne, of course. — Troy Patterson, The New Yorker, "A Message of Useful Beauty from New York Fashion Week," 10 Sep. 2019 One man filmed the arrival of an approaching train via Snapchat for his friends, real-time proof that the stations were up and running. — Hannah Natanson, Washington Post, "‘Those dark days are gone’: Metro riders celebrate the end of the summerlong shutdown," 10 Sep. 2019 With Nadal serving at 4-5, Medvedev sealed the 52-minute set with a return winner, snapping a backhand down the line past an approaching Nadal. — David Waldstein, New York Times, "Rafael Nadal Wins the U.S. Open to Claim His 19th Grand Slam Title," 8 Sep. 2019 On Saturday, protesters were being encouraged to gather at the airport from about midday to demonstrate, resulting in a heavy police presence at the terminal and its approaching roads. — Ben Westcott, CNN, "Hong Kong protesters threaten new airport disruptions after street clashes with police," 7 Sep. 2019 The hard-working members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic have shed their white Hollywood Bowl coats in order to play in something approaching comfort. — Richard S. Ginell, Los Angeles Times, "Review: Hollywood Bowl’s Mozart marathon is thin on surprise. In the end, that’s just fine," 6 Sep. 2019 The approaching storm also prompted Orlando International Airport to suspend operations. — Christopher Brito, CBS News, "Disney will donate more than $1 million to the Bahamas for Hurricane Dorian relief," 4 Sep. 2019 Earlier this week, the Corolla Wild Horse Fund's rescue farm was busy preparing for the approaching storm. — Barnini Chakraborty, Fox News, "Wild horses of North Carolina to ride out hurricane with 'butts to the wind'," 4 Sep. 2019 The software to track the movements of an approaching ship and compare them to potential threats is already in place. — The Atlantic, "Coming Soon to a Battlefield: Robots That Can Kill," 3 Sep. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
An official familiar with the State Department approach declined to address those remarks but noted that Pompeo is careful to never allow daylight to appear between him and the president. — Karen Deyoung, Anchorage Daily News, "Collapse of Afghanistan peace talks spotlights internal Trump administration divisions," 9 Sep. 2019 Let’s consider three of the leading approaches to quantum theory. — Quanta Magazine, "Where Quantum Probability Comes From," 9 Sep. 2019 While scholars have noted the artistic accomplishments of his wife Catherine Blake before, this exhibit will take the unusual approach of pointing out her contributions to his most famous works. — Fortune, "The Systems That Protected Epstein and Weinstein: The Broadsheet," 9 Sep. 2019 Here the approach feels derivative, mostly because the psychology beneath it is so hollow. — Caryn James, The Hollywood Reporter, "'The Giant': Film Review | TIFF 2019," 8 Sep. 2019 While leaving Sutter intact, the approach would give insurers more negotiating room, particularly in communities with competing providers. — Los Angeles Times, "Hospital giant Sutter Health faces legal reckoning over medical pricing," 7 Sep. 2019 But Mattis has taken the no-comment approach even further, into the improbable realm of self-promotion. — Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, "James Mattis Doesn’t Want to Talk About the President," 6 Sep. 2019 Not a whole lot of big rocket news this week, as the approach of Hurricane Dorian shut down so many operations along the space coast in Florida. — Eric Berger, Ars Technica, "Rocket Report: Cause of Vega failure found, China seeks rocket customers," 6 Sep. 2019 The approach at Rutgers reflects how spirituality has shifted in fundamental ways. — New York Times, "The Church Where Believing in God Isn’t Strictly Necessary," 6 Sep. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'approach.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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