Advertisement

View synonyms for approach

approach

[ uh-prohch ]

verb (used with object)

  1. to come near or nearer to:

    The cars slowed down as they approached the intersection.

    Synonyms: near

  2. to come near to in quality, character, time, or condition; to come within range for comparison:

    As a poet he hardly approaches Keats.

  3. to present, offer, or make a proposal or request to:

    to approach the president with a suggestion.

  4. to begin work on; set about:

    to approach a problem.

  5. to make advances to; address.
  6. to bring near to something.

    Antonyms: withdraw



verb (used without object)

  1. to come nearer; draw near:

    A storm is approaching.

  2. to come near in character, time, amount, etc.; approximate.

noun

  1. the act of drawing near:

    the approach of a train.

  2. nearness or close approximation:

    a fair approach to accuracy.

  3. any means of access, as a road or ramp:

    the approaches to a city.

  4. the method used or steps taken in setting about a task, problem, etc.:

    His approach to any problem was to prepare an outline.

  5. 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.

  6. Sometimes approaches. a presentation, offer, or proposal.
  7. approaches, Military. works for protecting forces in an advance against a fortified position.
  8. Also called approach shot. Golf. a stroke made after teeing off, by which a player attempts to get the ball onto the putting green.
  9. Bowling.
    1. the steps taken and the manner employed in delivering the ball:

      He favors a four-step approach.

    2. Also called runway. the area behind the foul line, from which the ball is delivered.

approach

/ əˈprəʊtʃ /

verb

  1. to come nearer in position, time, quality, character, etc, to (someone or something)
  2. tr to make advances to, as with a proposal, suggestion, etc
  3. tr to begin to deal with

    to approach a problem

  4. rare.
    tr to cause to come near


noun

  1. the act of coming towards or drawing close or closer
  2. a close approximation
  3. the way or means of entering or leaving; access
  4. often plural an advance or overture to a person
  5. a means adopted in tackling a problem, job of work, etc
  6. Also calledapproach path the course followed by an aircraft preparing for landing

Discover More

Other Words From

  • ap·proacher noun
  • ap·proachless adjective
  • reap·proach verb
  • unap·proached adjective
  • unap·proaching adjective
  • well-ap·proached adjective

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of approach1

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 )

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of approach1

C14: from Old French aprochier, from Late Latin appropiāre to draw near, from Latin prope near

Discover More

Example Sentences

So, not in the immediate term, but if you think about how much money we’re spending, it’s completely appropriate.

We need to have a really frank public discussion about what we think of appropriate trade-offs.

He warned that hospitalizations and deaths are an indicator that tends to lag an increase in new cases, and argued that pointing to those numbers to justify keeping businesses opened isn’t appropriate.

Establish and follow appropriate data retention and deletion policies for each type of sensitive data.

At the start of the pandemic, businesses within cities were focused on getting their employees working remotely and securely, with access to the appropriate tools.

From Fortune

Is that a utilitarian approach—that you need to understand how institutions have changed to understand the way they are?

Like any good marketer, Silverman says he has sales figures proving his approach is working.

But we were attempting a deliberate naiveté, a decision to approach these books as if they might have something to teach us.

This is kind of an accidental career for me—which is why I approach it with irreverence and playfulness.

But this approach can be troublesome for a variety of reasons.

In truth, it was so intently engaged with a sleeping seal that it had not observed the approach of the sledge.

Gaze not upon another man's wife, and be not inquisitive after his handmaid, and approach not her bed.

There seemed the flavour of some strange authority in her that baffled all approach to the former intimacy.

He that adoreth God with joy, shall be accepted, and his prayer shall approach even to the clouds.

Perhaps the nearest approach to a pure æsthetic enjoyment in these early days is the love of flowers.

Advertisement

Word of the Day

axolotl

[ak-suh-lot-l ]

Meaning and examples

Start each day with the Word of the Day in your inbox!

By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


approapproachable