approach
verb (used with object)
to come near or nearer to.
were approaching
-
past progressiveof approach.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
The experiment followed 12 guinea fowl from two weeks of age until they reached 16 weeks, when the birds were approaching their full adult size.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026
This spring, executives at Clorox said that though they were considering pricing changes, they were approaching the idea with “a high level of discipline and caution.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
O'Brien praised the police for how they were approaching the review.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
Iran's ambassador to Pakistan, which is mediating between Iran and the United States, said Tuesday on X that efforts to end the war were "approaching a critical, sensitive stage", without giving details.
From Barron's ● Apr. 7, 2026
They realized that they were approaching something out of the ordinary when they saw a newspaper cameraman walking along the edge of the crowd.
From "From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler" by E.L. Konigsburg
