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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.
approximately British  
/ əˈprɒksɪmɪtlɪ /

adverb

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of approximately

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

According to the CalSTRS website, approximately 10% of a California educator’s gross annual compensation is invested into CalSTRS’ pension fund.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026

At the start of the war, Iran possessed approximately 440kg of uranium enriched to 60%, according to senior US officials.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

Marvell’s custom silicon business grew to approximately $1.5 billion in fiscal 2026, positioning it for agentic AI infrastructure.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

In the aftermath of the rulings, Meta’s stock was trading at approximately 15x its projected 2027 earnings of $36.31 per share.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026

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

From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.