approach

American  

[uh-prohch] / əˈproʊtʃ /

verb (used with object)

• approaches,
  present (3rd person singular)
• approached,
  past participle,  past
• approaching
  present participle

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

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verb (used without object)

• approaches,
  present (3rd person singular)
• approached,
  past participle,  past
• approaching
  present participle

1. to come nearer; draw near.

   A storm is approaching.

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

noun

• approaches
  plural

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. Military. approaches, 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 British  

/ 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 called: approach path.  the course followed by an aircraft preparing for landing

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• approacher
  noun
• reapproach
  verb
• approachless
  adjective
• unapproached
  adjective
• unapproaching
  adjective
• well-approached
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• approaches
  plural

Participles

• approaching
  present
• approached
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• approach
  simple
• approaches
  simple
• have approached
  perfect
• has approached
  perfect
• am approaching
  progressive
• are approaching
  progressive
• is approaching
  progressive
• have been approaching
  perfect progressive
• has been approaching
  perfect progressive

Past

• approached
  simple
• had approached
  perfect
• was approaching
  progressive
• were approaching
  progressive
• had been approaching
  perfect progressive

Future

• will approach
  simple
• will have approached
  perfect
• will be approaching
  progressive
• will have been approaching
  perfect progressive

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; see ad- ( def. ), propinquity ( def. )

Explanation

To approach is to get near something. An airplane is cleared for a final approach just as the wheels approach the landing strip. Approach comes from the Latin word appropriare which means "go nearer to." You can physically approach something, like a waiter going to a table. Or, you can approach a subject, usually one you're a little nervous about — like a new employee might approach her boss about getting a raise. Time can also approach, like winter, midnight, or even old age.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

approach approaches approached approaching

He’s still one of the biggest hitters around and had some of the best approach play on Tour this season.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026

Given its makeup, then, this approach is probably unlikely.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

Saying it is taking a “disciplined” approach, On said it would protect “full-price integrity in a promotional marketplace” ahead of what it termed “breakthrough innovations” heading into 2027.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026

But she acknowledges that her distinct approach — kinder, gentler, more tearful — is rooted in her particular skill set: “It’s similar to how I responded to being led in kitchens,” she says.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

I had no choice but to approach the Flabby Tabby.

From "Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat" by Johnny Marciano and Emily Chenoweth

Some investors are worried that this artificial-intelligence-powered bull market might be getting a little long in the tooth as it approaches its fourth birthday.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026

Spotify is following in the steps of other streaming platforms that have taken more aggressive approaches to the new technology.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

Researchers and clinicians are increasingly discussing trauma-informed approaches to fertility treatment, pregnancy, and birth.

From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2026

Users, not the model developer, should be responsible for deciding the system’s values, he says, contrasting that with other companies’ approaches.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026

The door opens, and a customer approaches the counter.

From "Starfish" by Akemi Dawn Bowman

One company even approached me about helping build an AI system to dispatch ambulances, which made me uncomfortable.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 7, 2026

“I was approached by one company who wants to use AI to dispatch ambulances.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

He also privately approached Neil Patrick Harris to apologize for aggressively trying to out him as a gay man in 2006, before the actor had spoken about his sexuality publicly.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026

"We lack essential supplies because importing beekeeping equipment from the other side is not permitted," Al-Dabba told AFP, saying he had approached external organisations and ministries in Gaza and the occupied West Bank for help.

From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026

So when a flock of seagulls approached the island one afternoon, there was nothing strange about it.

From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown

"At 11:00 the temperature dropped sharply when totality was approaching," he said.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

“The Rumbler system provides an earlier, more noticeable warning that an emergency vehicle is approaching, giving motorists and pedestrians additional time to recognize the danger and respond safely.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026

ChatGPT maker OpenAI has slashed fees by 80 percent for its latest lightweight model "Luna", and Anthropic has unveiled a model approaching its most powerful system's performance at half the price.

From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026

“If either spouse is approaching that age, the residency timing gets more pressing. Sequence the moves,” Judge said.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 8, 2026

I continued down the street, waiting until I was out of his sight before turning the corner and approaching the building from the other side.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

Related Words

• attitude
• concept
• idea
• manner
• means
• method
• mode
• procedure
• program
• style
• technique
• way