Definitions for approach
əˈproʊtʃap·proach

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:3.6 / 5 votes

1. approach, attack, plan of attacknoun

   ideas or actions intended to deal with a problem or situation

   "his approach to every problem is to draw up a list of pros and cons"; "an attack on inflation"; "his plan of attack was misguided"

2. approach, approaching, comingnoun

   the act of drawing spatially closer to something

   "the hunter's approach scattered the geese"

3. access, approachnoun

   a way of entering or leaving

   "he took a wrong turn on the access to the bridge"

4. approach path, approach, glide path, glide slopenoun

   the final path followed by an aircraft as it is landing

5. approach, approachingnoun

   the event of one object coming closer to another

6. overture, advance, approach, feelernoun

   a tentative suggestion designed to elicit the reactions of others

   "she rejected his advances"

7. approach, approaching, comingnoun

   the temporal property of becoming nearer in time

   "the approach of winter"

8. approachnoun

   a close approximation

   "the nearest approach to genius"

9. approach, approach shotverb

   a relatively short golf shot intended to put the ball onto the putting green

   "he lost the hole when his approach rolled over the green"

10. approach, near, come on, go up, draw near, draw close, come nearverb

    move towards

    "We were approaching our destination"; "They are drawing near"; "The enemy army came nearer and nearer"

11. border on, approachverb

    come near or verge on, resemble, come nearer in quality, or character

    "This borders on discrimination!"; "His playing approaches that of Horowitz"

12. set about, go about, approachverb

    begin to deal with

    "approach a task"; "go about a difficult problem"; "approach a new project"

13. approach, come nearverb

    come near in time

    "Winter is approaching"; "approaching old age"

14. approachverb

    make advances to someone, usually with a proposal or suggestion

    "I was approached by the President to serve as his adviser in foreign matters"

GCIDERate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Approachnoun

   (Aviation) that part of a flight during which an airplane descends toward the landing strip.

WiktionaryRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. approachnoun

   The act of drawing near; a coming or advancing near.

2. approachnoun

   An access, or opportunity of drawing near.

3. approachnoun

   Movements to gain favor; advances.

4. approachnoun

   A way, passage, or avenue by which a place or buildings can be approached; an access.

5. approachnoun

   A manner in which a problem is solved or policy is made.

6. approachnoun

   The advanced works, trenches, or covered roads made by besiegers in their advances toward a fortress or military post.

7. approachnoun

   A stroke whose object is to land the ball on the putting green. It is made with an iron club.

8. approachnoun

   The way an aircraft lands at an airport.

9. approachnoun

   The area before the lane, in which a player may stand or run up before bowling the ball.

10. approachverb

    To come or go near, in place or time; to draw nigh; to advance nearer.

11. approachverb

    To draw near, in a figurative sense; to make advances; to approximate.

    as he approaches to the character of the ablest statesman.

12. approachverb

    To come near to in place, time, character or value; to draw nearer to.

13. approachverb

    To make an attempt at (solving a problem or making a policy).

14. approachverb

    To speak to, as to make a request or ask a question.

15. approachverb

    To take approaches to.

16. Etymology: From approchen, aprochen, aprochier, appropiare, from ad + propiare, from.

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Approachnoun

   Etymology: from the verb.

   1. The act of drawing near.

   If I could bid the seventh welcome with so good heart as I can bid the other five farewel, I should be glad of his approach. William Shakespeare, Merchant of Venice.

   ’Tis with our souls
   As with our eyes, that after a long darkness
   Are dazzled at th’ approach of sudden light. John Denham, Sophy.

   2. Access.

   Honour hath in it the vantage ground to do good; the approach to kings and principal persons; and the raising of a man’s own fortunes. Francis Bacon, Essays.

   3. Hostile advance.

   For England his approaches makes as fierce
   As waters to the sucking of a gulph. William Shakespeare, Henry V.

   4. Means of advancing.

   Against beleagur’d heav’n the giants move,
   Hills pil’d on hills, on mountains mountains lie,
   To make their mad approaches to the sky. John Dryden, Ovid.

2. To Approachverb

   To bring near to. This sense is rather French than English.

   This they will nimbly perform, if objected to the extremes, but slowly and not at all, if approached unto their roots. Thomas Browne, Vulgar Errours, b. iii. c. 20.

   By plunging paper thoroughly in weak spirit of wine, and approaching it to a candle, the spirituous parts will burn, without harming the paper. Boyle.

   Approach’d, and looking underneath the sun,
   He saw proud Arcite. John Dryden, Fables.

3. To APPROACHverb

   Etymology: approcher, Fr.

   1. To draw near locally.

   ’Tis time to look about: the powers of the kingdom approach apace. William Shakespeare, King Lear.

   We suppose Ulysses approaching toward Polypheme. Notes on Odyssey.

   2. To draw near, as time.

   Hark! I hear the sound of coaches,
   The hour of attack approaches. John Gay, Beggar’s Opera.

   3. To make a progress towards, in the figurative sense, as mentally.

   He shall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? Jer. xxx. 21.

   He was an admirable poet, and thought even to have approached . William Temple, Miscellanies.

   To have knowledge in all the objects of contemplation, is what the mind can hardly attain unto; the instances are few of those who have, in any measure, approached towards it. John Locke.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. approach

   Approach refers to a way or method of dealing with or addressing a particular task, problem or situation. It can also refer to the act of moving closer towards a destination, goal or object.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. Approachverb

   to come or go near, in place or time; to draw nigh; to advance nearer

2. Approachverb

   to draw near, in a figurative sense; to make advances; to approximate; as, he approaches to the character of the ablest statesman

3. Approachverb

   to bring near; to cause to draw near; to advance

4. Approachverb

   to come near to in place, time, or character; to draw nearer to; as, to approach the city; to approach my cabin; he approached the age of manhood

5. Approachverb

   to take approaches to

6. Approachverb

   the act of drawing near; a coming or advancing near

7. Approachverb

   a access, or opportunity of drawing near

8. Approachverb

   movements to gain favor; advances

9. Approachverb

   a way, passage, or avenue by which a place or buildings can be approached; an access

10. Approachverb

    the advanced works, trenches, or covered roads made by besiegers in their advances toward a fortress or military post

11. Approachverb

    see Approaching

12. Etymology: [OE. approchen, aprochen, OF. approcher, LL. appropriare, fr. L. ad + propiare to draw near, prope near.]

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Approach

   ap-prōch′, v.i. to draw near: to draw nigh (of time or events): to come near in quality, condition, &c.: (arch.) to come into personal relations with a person.—v.t. to come near to: to resemble: attain to: to bring near in any sense.—n. a drawing near to in military attack, in personal relations: access: a path or avenue: approximation: (pl.) trenches, &c., by which besiegers strive to reach a fortress.—n. Approachabi′lty.—adj. Approach′able. [O. Fr. aprochier, Low L. adpropiare—L. ad, to, prope, near.]

Military Dictionary and GazetteerRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. approach

   The route by which a fortified place or military position can be approached by an attacking force.

Suggested ResourcesRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Approach

   Approach vs. Reproach -- In this Grammar.com article you will learn the differences between the words Approach and Reproach.

Matched Categories

1. • Address
   • Flight Path
   • Similarity
   • Traffic Pattern
   • Way

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'approach' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #652

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'approach' in Written Corpus Frequency: #1436

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'approach' in Nouns Frequency: #221

4. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'approach' in Verbs Frequency: #297

How to pronounce approach?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say approach in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of approach in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of approach in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

Examples of approach in a Sentence

1. Henry Ward Beecher:

   You never know till you try to reach them how accessible men are but you must approach each man by the right door.

2. Marcus Tullius Cicero:

   Men in no way approach so nearly to the gods as in doing good to men.

3. Johann von Goethe:

   Difficulties increase the nearer we approach our goal.

4. Bernard Baruch:

   Approach each new problem not with a view of finding what you hope will be there, but to get the truth, the realities that must be grappled with. You may not like what you find. In that case you are entitled to try to change it. But do not deceive yourself as to what you do find to be the facts of the situation.

5. Leonard Bernstein:

   Inspiration is wonderful when it happens, but the writer must develop an approach for the rest of the time... The wait is simply too long.

Popularity rank by frequency of use