approximately

Everyday

Close to an exact amount, number or time, but not exactly; about. tree →

In the lessons

A key maths word: "approximately" means estimate or round. "Approximately 30 children" could be 28 or 31. The sign ≈ means "is approximately equal to". In science, measurements are often approximate. Phrases: approximately equal, approximately how many.

Examples

• There were approximately 200 people at the concert. tree →
• The journey takes approximately two hours. tree →
• 49 + 52 is approximately 100. tree →
• Round 3.87 to approximately 4. tree →
• The bag weighs approximately 5 kilograms. tree →
• Approximately half the class walk to school. tree →
• Estimate approximately how many beans are in the jar. tree →

Note

Adjective: approximate. Shorter: about, roughly, around, nearly. Maths: an approximate answer is rounded, so do not give lots of decimals; the sign is ≈. "Approximately" does not tell you whether the real number is higher or lower.