Approach — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ə-ˈprōch/ ap·proach

Meaning & Definition of Approach

Approach (verb)

  1. to draw closer to, near
  2. to come very near to, to be almost the same as
  3. to make advances to especially in order to create a desired result

Approach (noun)

  1. an act or instance of approaching
  2. approximation
  3. the taking of preliminary steps toward a particular purpose

Approach (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. an established course for traveling from one place to another

    "will take the standard landing approach from the south"

    similar: avenue, passage, path, route, way
    related: bypath, byway, lane, laneway (British), artery, boulevard, bypass, drive, expressway, freeway, high road, highway, pass, passageway, pike, road, roadway, routeway (chiefly British), row, street, thoroughfare, turnpike, walk, walkway, trace, track, trail, airway, bikeway, cycleway (British), channel, gat, watercourse, waterway, door, doorway, gate, gateway, hatch, portal

  2. the means or procedure for doing something

    "that's a different approach to knitting, but it seems to work"

    similar: fashion, form, how, manner, method, methodology, recipe, strategy, style, system, tack, tactics, technique, way
    related: mode, modus operandi, blueprint, design, game, game plan, ground plan, intrigue, layout, line, model, plan, plot, program, route, scheme, expedient, move, shift, step, practice, process, routine, policy

Approach (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to come near or nearer

    "the parade's approaching! I can hear the band playing!"

    similar: belly up, close, close in, come up, draw on, near, nigh
    related: arrive, attain, come, gain, hit, land, make, reach, show up, turn up, waltz (up), creep up, sneak up, adjoin, border, touch, verge
    opposite: back (up or away), recede, retire, retreat, withdraw
    near: clear out, depart, exit, go, leave, light out, pull out, quit, remove, run away, shove (off), take off, walk out

  2. to move closer to

    "approach the bull with caution"

    similar: advance, come, near, nigh
    related: drop in, enter, pop (in)
    opposite: go, recede (from), retreat, withdraw
    near: depart, exit, leave

  3. to come near or nearer to in character or quality

    "his store-bought dessert doesn't even approach your homemade version of it"

    similar: approximate, compare (with), measure up (to), stack up (against or with), hold a candle to
    related: add up (to), amount (to), come (to), duplicate, equal, match, mirror, parallel, reflect, border (on), touch (on), verge (on)

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Approach

The most common words with a similar meaning to Approach:

avenue, passage, path, route, way, fashion, form, how, manner, method, methodology, recipe, strategy, style, system, tack, tactics, technique, belly up, close, close in, come up, draw on, near, nigh, advance, come, approximate, compare (with), measure up (to), stack up (against or with), hold a candle to

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Approach

Words with the opposite meaning of Approach:

back (up or away), recede, retire, retreat, withdraw, go, recede (from)

Related Words for Approach

bypath, byway, lane, laneway, artery, boulevard, bypass, drive, expressway, freeway, high road, highway, pass, passageway, pike, road, roadway, routeway, row, street, thoroughfare, turnpike, walk, walkway, trace, track, trail, airway, bikeway, cycleway

Near Antonyms of Approach

clear out, depart, exit, leave, light out, pull out, quit, remove, run away, shove (off), take off, walk out

Word Forms of Approach

Inflections: approached, approaching, approaches

Origin & Etymology of Approach

Middle English approchen, from Anglo-French aprocher, from Late Latin appropiare, from Latin ad- + prope near; akin to Latin pro before for

First known use: 14th centuryt

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Approach

Frequently Asked Questions about Approach

What does "Approach" mean?

"Approach" means to draw closer to, near. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to draw closer to, near. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Approach"?

Other words for "Approach" include avenue, passage, path, route, way, fashion, form and how. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Approach" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Approach"?

There are 126 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Approach". Common alternatives include avenue, passage, path, route, way, fashion, form, how, manner and method.

What is the opposite of "Approach"?

Antonyms of "Approach" include back (up or away), recede, retire, retreat, withdraw, go and recede (from). Near antonyms include clear out, depart, exit and leave.

How do you use "Approach" in a sentence?

Examples of "Approach" in a sentence: "will take the standard landing approach from the south"; "that's a different approach to knitting, but it seems to work"; "the parade's approaching! I can hear the band playing!".

Is "Approach" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Approach" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Approach" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B1-level word, "Approach" is typical of Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET), IELTS band 4.0–5.0, TOEFL iBT 42–71, PTE Academic 43–58, TOEIC Listening & Reading 550+. It is on the Academic Word List, so it appears often in IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, and university texts.

How do you pronounce "Approach"?

"Approach" is pronounced /ə-ˈprōch/ and divided into syllables as ap·proach.