Meaning & use
approximately
Close to a particular number, amount, or time, but not exact.
See it in a sentence
The journey takes approximately three hours by car, depending on traffic.
Approximately two hundred guests attended the charity gala last Saturday evening.
A note on using this word
Approximately is more formal than the everyday about, and it is common before numbers in written or scientific contexts.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
exactlyprecisely
Make it your own
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