approach
Americanverb (used with object)
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to come near or nearer to.
The cars slowed down as they approached the intersection.
- Synonyms:
- near
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to come near to in quality, character, time, or condition; to come within range for comparison.
As a poet he hardly approaches Keats.
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to present, offer, or make a proposal or request to.
to approach the president with a suggestion.
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to begin work on; set about.
to approach a problem.
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to make advances to; address.
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to bring near to something.
- Antonyms:
- withdraw
verb (used without object)
-
to come nearer; draw near.
A storm is approaching.
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to come near in character, time, amount, etc.; approximate.
noun
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the act of drawing near.
the approach of a train.
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nearness or close approximation.
a fair approach to accuracy.
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any means of access, as a road or ramp.
the approaches to a city.
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the method used or steps taken in setting about a task, problem, etc..
His approach to any problem was to prepare an outline.
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the course to be followed by an aircraft in approaching for a landing or in joining a traffic pattern.
The plane's approach to the airport was hazardous.
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Sometimes approaches. a presentation, offer, or proposal.
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Military. approaches, works for protecting forces in an advance against a fortified position.
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Also called approach shot. Golf. a stroke made after teeing off, by which a player attempts to get the ball onto the putting green.
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Bowling.
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the steps taken and the manner employed in delivering the ball.
He favors a four-step approach.
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Also called runway. the area behind the foul line, from which the ball is delivered.
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verb
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to come nearer in position, time, quality, character, etc, to (someone or something)
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(tr) to make advances to, as with a proposal, suggestion, etc
-
(tr) to begin to deal with
to approach a problem
-
rare (tr) to cause to come near
noun
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the act of coming towards or drawing close or closer
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a close approximation
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the way or means of entering or leaving; access
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(often plural) an advance or overture to a person
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a means adopted in tackling a problem, job of work, etc
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Also called: approach path. the course followed by an aircraft preparing for landing
Other Word Forms
- approacher noun
- approachless adjective
- reapproach verb
- unapproached adjective
- unapproaching adjective
- well-approached adjective
Etymology
Origin of approach
First recorded in 1275–1325; (verb) Middle English a(p)prochen, from Old French aprochier, from Late Latin adpropiāre “to draw near,” equivalent to ad- “to” and propiāre “to draw near,” derivative of Latin propius “nearer” (comparative of prope “near”), replacing Latin appropinquāre; (noun) late Middle English approche, derivative of the verb; ad- ( def. ), propinquity ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The UK approach was previously that refugees received a five-year initial period of leave to remain.
From BBC
More recent CDT approaches have also succeeded in generating singlet oxygen inside tumors.
From Science Daily
"I think this makes the approach more unbiased and better suited for discovering new disease-related changes that might otherwise be missed."
From Science Daily
This approach works by forming microscopic bubbles that collapse and briefly raise the temperature, helping break down the shells.
From Science Daily
To maintain the element of surprise, the Mexican commandos approached from above in helicopters, supported by surveillance from U.S.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
