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

---

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

But Knox told BBC Scotland News she does not downplay the seriousness of the case and is respectful in her approach.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

It is separate from the consumer-price index, another approach to measuring inflation that is closely followed by markets and businesses.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

Even on set, a background person would approach her, wondering if there’s any more plain bagels at craft service.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

There are many ways to approach covered-call income strategies.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026

Penelope had to dodge piles of lumber and burly workmen holding jagged-edged saws, but it did not slow her approach.

From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood

You could think of it as the drone warfare of diplomacy, which is, instead of sending infantry in the normal way to do it and shooting up howitzers, you’re trying different approaches.

From Slate ● Aug. 6, 2026

The hope is to find approaches that transfer elsewhere, but the more rural and coastal South West may need to find quite different solutions.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

The researchers also identified several approaches that reduced the spinal damage.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 6, 2026

Palantir’s “own your alpha” strategy “extends Palantir’s differentiation into AI governance, an important emerging area where traditional approaches may prove insufficient,” he wrote.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026

The little boy Voxy approaches waving, Nyla at his side.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera

When I approached his campaign for comment on Tuberville’s remarks, I was directed to an exchange he had on Wednesday night with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, in which he addressed the Republican onslaught.

From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026

“People approached us to say, ‘They promised the same with the MGM Casino, that it would get built here and solve all our problems with revenue.

From Slate ● Aug. 6, 2026

He has suggested that history should be approached through "careful interpretation of complex evidence", rather than political narratives.

From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026

Its immense size and powerful jaws would have made it capable of attacking dinosaurs and other large animals that approached the water.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 5, 2026

While they were busy at their task, he approached Penelope, a greedy, conspiratorial look in his eye.

From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood

Run as a nonprofit out of Zurich, the organization has no debt and reported cash reserves approaching $3 billion at the end of last year, according to FIFA’s financials.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

They were attempting to keep the fire from approaching the western outskirts of Athens after it scaled a mountain overnight.

From Barron's ● Aug. 2, 2026

This time of year, bullpen depth is top of mind for teams across MLB, with the trade deadline on Monday approaching.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2026

The oldest members of Generation Z are approaching their 30s, a decade when life may pick up momentum.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 30, 2026

Sarah couldn’t be more than five foot seven and was approaching the age where she would start getting her plate first at gatherings.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Related Words

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