approach

[ uh-prohch ]

/ əˈproʊtʃ /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR approach ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

to come near or nearer to: The cars slowed down as they approached the intersection.

to come near to in quality, character, time, or condition; to come within range for comparison: As a poet he hardly approaches Keats.

to present, offer, or make a proposal or request to: to approach the president with a suggestion.

to begin work on; set about: to approach a problem.

to make advances to; address.

to bring near to something.

verb (used without object)

to come nearer; draw near: A storm is approaching.

to come near in character, time, amount, etc.; approximate.

noun

the act of drawing near: the approach of a train.

nearness or close approximation: a fair approach to accuracy.

any means of access, as a road or ramp: the approaches to a city.

the method used or steps taken in setting about a task, problem, etc.: His approach to any problem was to prepare an outline.

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.

Sometimes approaches. a presentation, offer, or proposal.

approaches, Military. works for protecting forces in an advance against a fortified position.

Also called approach shot. Golf. a stroke made after teeing off, by which a player attempts to get the ball onto the putting green.

Bowling.

the steps taken and the manner employed in delivering the ball: He favors a four-step approach.
Also called runway. the area behind the foul line, from which the ball is delivered.

Origin of approach

1275–1325; (v.) Middle English a(p)prochen < Anglo-French, Old French a(p)rocher < Late Latin adpropiāre, verbal derivative, with ad- ad-, of Latin propius nearer (comparative of prope near), replacing Latin appropinquāre; (noun) late Middle English approche, derivative of the v.

SYNONYMS FOR approach

1 near, close with.

3 sound out.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR approach ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR approach

6 withdraw.

SEE ANTONYMS FOR approach ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM approach

ap·proach·er, noun ap·proach·less, adjective re·ap·proach, verb un·ap·proached, adjective

un·ap·proach·ing, adjective well-ap·proached, adjective

Words nearby approach

appressed, appressorium, apprise, apprize, appro, approach, approach light, approach shot, approachable, approbate, approbation

Example sentences from the Web for approach

Like any good marketer, Silverman says he has sales figures proving his approach is working.

The Case Against In-Your-Face Atheism |Steve Neumann |January 4, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
But we were attempting a deliberate naiveté, a decision to approach these books as if they might have something to teach us.

American Democracy Under Threat for 250 Years |Jedediah Purdy |December 28, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
This is kind of an accidental career for me—which is why I approach it with irreverence and playfulness.

DJ Spooky Wants You To Question Everything You Know About Music, Technology, and Philosophy |Oliver Jones |December 27, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
But this approach can be troublesome for a variety of reasons.

The Craziest Date Night for Single Jews, Where Mistletoe Is Ditched for Shots |Emily Shire |December 26, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

But such an approach works against the traditional pride in self-sufficiency espoused by many in the American middle class.

Time to Bring Back the Truman Democrats |Joel Kotkin |December 21, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Halting a few paces away, Tracy motioned to us to avoid moving the bushes, but to approach the fence and look between the rails.

Military Reminiscences of the Civil War V2 |Jacob Dolson Cox
How nearly the current economic situation may approach to this finished state is a matter of opinion.

The Place of Science in Modern Civilisation and Other Essays |Thorstein Veblen
Descending toward the left, we approach one of the most singularly beautiful groups of stalactites in this apartment.

Bancroft's Tourist's Guide Yosemite |A.L. Bancroft
Like our ideal magnets, they approach each other for a time as wholes.

Six Lectures on Light |John Tyndall
But he had very strong feelings underneath his calm exterior, and the approach to Lucy's home gave him many thoughts.

Sir Tom |Mrs. Oliphant

British Dictionary definitions for approach

approach

/ (əˈprəʊtʃ) /

verb

to come nearer in position, time, quality, character, etc, to (someone or something)

(tr) to make advances to, as with a proposal, suggestion, etc

(tr) to begin to deal with to approach a problem

(tr) rare to cause to come near

noun

the act of coming towards or drawing close or closer

a close approximation

the way or means of entering or leaving; access

(often plural) an advance or overture to a person

a means adopted in tackling a problem, job of work, etc

Also called: approach path the course followed by an aircraft preparing for landing

Word Origin for approach

C14: from Old French aprochier, from Late Latin appropiāre to draw near, from Latin prope near

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

approach

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

noun

Origin of approach

SYNONYMS FOR approach

ANTONYMS FOR approach

OTHER WORDS FROM approach

Words nearby approach

Example sentences from the Web for approach

British Dictionary definitions for approach

verb

noun

Word Origin for approach

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

approach

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

noun

Origin of approach

SYNONYMS FOR approach

ANTONYMS FOR approach

OTHER WORDS FROM approach

Words nearby approach

Words related to approach

Example sentences from the Web for approach

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verb

noun

Word Origin for approach

British Dictionary definitions for approach