as in upcoming
being soon to appear or take place
the approaching holiday has everyone in a state of excitement
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in coming
to come near or nearer
the parade's approaching! I can hear the band playing!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nearing
to move closer to
approach the bull with caution
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in approximating
to come near or nearer to in character or quality
his store-bought dessert doesn't even approach your homemade version of it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of approaching
The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2026
There are signs that the summer season is fast approaching.
—Ryan Hughes, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026
That being said, a pair of sandals is a high priority for my travel wardrobe, especially now that spring is fast approaching.
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 13 Mar. 2026
Graduation season is fast approaching, and Jefferson County Public Schools has released ceremony dates for Louisville seniors to receive their diplomas.
—Kathryn Muchnick, Louisville Courier Journal, 12 Mar. 2026
Danforth happened to be talking with Salvi on another matter that day, and was aware that the deadline for petitions was fast approaching.
—Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
Spring is fast approaching, but warm weather and blossoming trees are exactly what individuals with allergies don’t want to see.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Mar. 2026
The 98th Academy Awards are fast approaching, awarding the best in moviemaking across 2025.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2026
The 2026 Met Gala is fast approaching.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 23 Feb. 2026
Sharon Chin, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
It is now believed that Comet MAPS has an orbital period approaching 2,000 years, and may be a fragment of a daylight comet seen in 363 AD.
—Tony Hoffman, PC Magazine, 2 Apr. 2026
These women are approaching Kafka’s fourth wall, the mysterious way out—if not from the ranch, then at least from the limits that bound them at home.
—Literary Hub, 2 Apr. 2026
If the dogs appear aggressive or unpredictable, avoid approaching them directly.
—Gary Singer, Sun Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2026
The Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce wedding is fast-approaching, and, according to sources, the couple is in the midst of making some major decisions.
—Meg Walters, InStyle, 1 Apr. 2026
In multiple river basins in the West, streamflows were above average in winter and early spring, and some locations were approaching record-high levels.
—Imtiaz Rangwala, The Conversation, 1 Apr. 2026
Only the tops of the boats' sails were visible to ships approaching from the Atlantic.
—Valerie Fraser Luesse, Southern Living, 1 Apr. 2026
In the days and weeks that followed, Shaffer reportedly focused on his approaching medical school exams before taking time off for spring break.
—Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Election Day on Tuesday, April 7, is fast approaching.
—The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2026
There are signs that the summer season is fast approaching.
—Ryan Hughes, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026
That being said, a pair of sandals is a high priority for my travel wardrobe, especially now that spring is fast approaching.
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 13 Mar. 2026
Graduation season is fast approaching, and Jefferson County Public Schools has released ceremony dates for Louisville seniors to receive their diplomas.
—Kathryn Muchnick, Louisville Courier Journal, 12 Mar. 2026
Danforth happened to be talking with Salvi on another matter that day, and was aware that the deadline for petitions was fast approaching.
—Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
Spring is fast approaching, but warm weather and blossoming trees are exactly what individuals with allergies don’t want to see.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Mar. 2026
The 98th Academy Awards are fast approaching, awarding the best in moviemaking across 2025.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2026
The 2026 Met Gala is fast approaching.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 23 Feb. 2026
Verb
The approaching Easter holiday often means an increase in the purchase and gifting of live rabbits, and a resulting spike in abandonments.
—Sharon Chin, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
It is now believed that Comet MAPS has an orbital period approaching 2,000 years, and may be a fragment of a daylight comet seen in 363 AD.
—Tony Hoffman, PC Magazine, 2 Apr. 2026
These women are approaching Kafka’s fourth wall, the mysterious way out—if not from the ranch, then at least from the limits that bound them at home.
—Literary Hub, 2 Apr. 2026
If the dogs appear aggressive or unpredictable, avoid approaching them directly.
—Gary Singer, Sun Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2026
The Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce wedding is fast-approaching, and, according to sources, the couple is in the midst of making some major decisions.
—Meg Walters, InStyle, 1 Apr. 2026
In multiple river basins in the West, streamflows were above average in winter and early spring, and some locations were approaching record-high levels.
—Imtiaz Rangwala, The Conversation, 1 Apr. 2026
Only the tops of the boats' sails were visible to ships approaching from the Atlantic.
—Valerie Fraser Luesse, Southern Living, 1 Apr. 2026
In the days and weeks that followed, Shaffer reportedly focused on his approaching medical school exams before taking time off for spring break.
—Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for approaching
Adjective
-
The Pittsburgh Steelers are expecting a decision about Aaron Rodgers' future before the upcoming NFL draft, according to a new report.—
Mike Darnay,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
-
By recently declining Williams’ $10 million bonus, that money was added into what’s now a $32 million non-guaranteed salary for the upcoming season.—
Cam Inman,
Mercury News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
My friend Thai, whose parents were part of the Weather Underground leadership, remembers his father, Jeff Jones, coming home one day to find their family’s Hoboken apartment surrounded by cops—a fire inspector had spotted his tiny crop of marijuana plants on the fire escape.—
Zayd Ayers Dohrn,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
-
For now, channel the ambition, trust the momentum, and know that the slower, more nourishing chapter is coming.—
Kirah Tabourn,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
European luxury is entering a high-stakes first-quarter reporting period as sentiment has taken a decisive hit, just as many of the sector's big names were nearing a turning point after years of declining sales.—
Elsa Ohlen,
CNBC,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Older age brackets tend to have larger nest eggs, but even workers who are nearing retirement often fall short.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The authors suggest that the Democratic preference, approximating a more native pronunciation, was motivated by greater multicultural sensitivity.—
Valerie M. Fridland,
The Conversation,
24 Mar. 2026
-
But he is also credited with the invention of a screw water pump — still used in power plants today — and a means of approximating pi, among many other things.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
And its impending move is likely to increase the organization’s capital costs and expenses.—
Molly Morrow,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Hard contact yielded minimal results but hope for an impending breakthrough.—
Matt Kawahara,
Houston Chronicle,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Industrie Africa, the continent’s leading online multi-brand fashion retailer, is closing down just five years after launch, highlighting the volatility of the current e-commerce model on a regional and global scale.—
Ezreen Benissan,
Vogue,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Other tips include not leaving pet food outside, not touching or feeding free-roaming animals, keeping yard landscaping trimmed, keeping lids on trash containers, and closing home crawlspaces.—
Julie Sharp,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The tightening of the reins in the British Mandate for Palestine comes as Adolf Hitler and Germany invade Poland, triggering the beginnings of World War II, and as Jewish refugees fleeing persecution begin entering the region.—
Zach Dennis,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Refrain from entering water that might carry an electric current and avoid walking through floodwaters.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
What To Know As the conflict enters its second month, several world leaders are speaking directly to their populations, reflecting how the war's impact has spread well beyond the battlefield.—
Sam Stevenson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The Comments Tell Their Own Story The video’s comment section has become a gathering place for users reflecting on YouTube’s evolution and their own relationship with the platform.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Approaching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/approaching. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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