What does "approach" mean?
An act of drawing near in place or time; an advancing or coming near.
Approach
/əˈpɹəʊt͡ʃ/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Top 500 ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An act of drawing near in place or time; an advancing or coming near.
- Grammar: approach is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: advance, academic discipline approach, academic technique, access.
- Useful contrasts: distant posture, elastic-energy related, withdrawn.
- Usage evidence: We suggested Kyoritsu Bussan approach you for assistance.
How to use "approach"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "approach" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "approach" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "approach" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "approach" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "approach" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "advance" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "approach", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An act of drawing near in place or time; an advancing or coming near. also, figuratively
"Ah, what a ſigne it is of euill life, Where death's approach is ſeene ſo terrible."
- 2 the act of drawing spatially closer to something wordnet
- 3 An act of coming near in character or value; an approximation.
"The canine, judging from the figures published by M. [Édouard] Lartet, seems to be less developed than in the male chimpanzees, gorillas and orang. In which character the fossil, if it belonged to a male, makes a nearer approach to the human type; but it is one which many of the inferior monkeys also exhibit, and is by no means to be trusted as significant of true affinity, supposing even the sex of the fossil to be known as being male."
- 4 a relatively short golf shot intended to put the ball onto the putting green wordnet
- 5 An avenue, passage, or way by which a building or place can be approached; an access. also, figuratively
"Where are my lines then? my approaches? views? Where are my window-ſongs?"
Show 14 more definitions
- 6 ideas or actions intended to deal with a problem or situation wordnet
- 7 An avenue, passage, or way by which a building or place can be approached; an access.; A path taken to reach the climbing area, for example, from a car park, road, etc. also, figuratively
- 8 a way of entering or leaving wordnet
- 9 A manner of making (a policy) or solving (a problem, etc.). figuratively
"Our proposed definitional approach to the data processing-communications dilemma evoked considerable discussion. There is uniform disagreement and confusion as to the regulatory implications of the proposed definitional terms."
- 10 a close approximation wordnet
- 11 An opportunity of drawing near; access. archaic
"Honour hath three Things in it: The Vantage Ground to doe Good: The approach to Kings and principall Persons: And the Raiſing of a Mans owne Fortunes."
- 12 the temporal property of becoming nearer in time wordnet
- 13 The way an aircraft comes in to land at an airport. also, attributive
"Most small airplanes maintain a speed well in excess of 1.3 times V_(SO) on an instrument approach. An airplane with a stall speed of 50 knots (V_(SO)) has a normal approach speed of 65 knots."
- 14 a tentative suggestion designed to elicit the reactions of others wordnet
- 15 The way an aircraft comes in to land at an airport.; A specific procedure used for approaching and landing at an airport. also, attributive
"We flew the RNAV/GPS A approach to runway 16."
- 16 the event of one object coming closer to another wordnet
- 17 The area before the lane in which a bowler may stand or run up before bowling the ball.
- 18 the final path followed by an aircraft as it is landing wordnet
- 19 Ellipsis of approach shot. abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis
Verb
- 1 To come or go near, in place or time; to move toward; to advance nearer; to draw nigh. intransitive
"She approached the door cautiously."
- 2 make advances to someone, usually with a proposal or suggestion wordnet
- 3 To play an approach shot. intransitive
- 4 come near in time wordnet
- 5 Used intransitively, followed by to: to draw near (to someone or something); to make advances; to approximate or become almost equal. ambitransitive, figuratively
"He approaches to the character of the ablest statesman."
Show 11 more definitions
- 6 move towards wordnet
- 7 Of an immovable object or a number of such objects: to be positioned as to (notionally) appear to be moving towards (a place). intransitive, rare, transitive
"As we drove along the driveway, the trees approaching the house seemed more eerie."
- 8 begin to deal with wordnet
- 9 To move toward (someone or something) in place, time, character, or value; to draw nearer to. also, figuratively, transitive
"“Would counsel please approach the bench?” asked the judge."
- 10 come near or verge on, resemble, come nearer in quality, or character wordnet
- 11 To bring (something) near something else; to cause (something) to draw near. transitive
""My story is not long," said the artist; "but your honour had better sit while you listen to it." So saying, he approached to the fire a three-footed stool, and took another himself, […]"
- 12 Used when defining limits, preceded by as: To become arbitrarily close to some value, be it a number, vector or infinity and have an effect on another value. transitive
- 13 To attempt to make (a policy) or solve (a problem). transitive
"Mr. Moonlight Quill, mysterious, exotic, and oriental in temperament was, nevertheless, a man of decision. And it was with decision that he approached the problem of his wrecked shop."
- 14 To bring up or propose to (someone) an idea, question, request, etc. transitive
""Why bother publishing my conversations. It has not helped you, and it is not going to help anybody else", said U. G. when I approached him with the idea of publishing excerpts from his conversations with the constant stream of people who go to visit him."
- 15 To have sexual intercourse with (someone). archaic, euphemistic, transitive
"None of you ſhall approche to any that is neere of kinne to him, to vncouer their nakedneſſe: I am the Lord."
- 16 To take approaches to (a place); to move towards (a place) by using covered roads, trenches, or other works. transitive
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"We suggested Kyoritsu Bussan approach you for assistance."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "approach"?
Common synonyms include: advance, academic discipline approach, academic technique, access, access, accesses.
How do you use "approach" in a sentence?
We suggested Kyoritsu Bussan approach you for assistance.
How do you pronounce "approach"?
Pronounced /əˈpɹəʊt͡ʃ/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English aprochen, borrowed from Old French aprochier (modern French approcher), from Late Latin appropiāre, a verb based on Latin prope (“near”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pro- (a variant of *per- (“before, in front; first”)) + *-kʷe (“suffix forming distributives from interrogatives”)).
Etymology 2
From Middle English approche (“approach, arrival”), from approchen, aprochen (“to come or go near, approach; to adjoin, be close by; to enter (someone’s) presence; to be or become involved; to reach (a certain state); to arrive; to befall, happen to; to become similar to, resemble; to be a match for (someone)”); see etymology 1.