approximately

American  

[uh-prok-suh-mit-lee] / əˈprɒk sə mɪt li /

adverb

1. about; roughly; more or less.

   It’s approximately 25 miles from here to El Paso.

   Add approximately 2 cups of milk or water.

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approximately British  

/ əˈprɒksɪmɪtlɪ /

adverb

1. close to; around; roughly or in the region of

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Etymology

Origin of approximately

First recorded in 1845–50; approximate ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )

Explanation

Approximately is close to a particular time, measurement, or number — but it's not exact. If you plan to meet a friend at approximately 2:00, it will be okay if you are a bit early or late. Approximately has its roots in the Latin word proximus, meaning "nearly." So, approximately means "about" or "close to." If you tell someone there will be approximately seventy people at a dinner, it means you expect seventy people, though the actual number could be a little more or a little less than seventy.

Example Sentences

Bank of America’s credit exposure to asset managers, funds and finance companies totaled $253 billion as of March 31, and included approximately $20 billion in “private credit portfolio finance.”

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

The release comes four years after "Spider-Man: No Way Home" became the studio's highest-grossing film with approximately $1.9 billion in global box office receipts.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

That is well below the approximately 11 times typical from 2007 to 2023.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

A 2025 survey of its members suggested the real cost of delivering a meal was approximately £3.45 - roughly 80p more than the £2.61 given to schools to fund free school meals in England.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

On Mars, days are approximately forty-one minutes longer than on Earth.

From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga

Related Words

• almost
• generally
• relatively
• roughly