Approximately Meaning
Approximately Definition & Usage
Used to indicate that a value or amount is close to, but not exactly, a stated number or fact. It suggests an estimate or rough approximation.
Examples
- "The meeting will last approximately two hours."
- "The car costs approximately $30,000."
- "There are approximately 10 people in the room."
- "The total weight of the package is approximately 5 kilograms."
- "The event will begin at approximately 7 PM."
Refers to a close, but not exact, measure of time or quantity, often used in scenarios where precision is less important or where exact details are unavailable.
Examples
- "We'll be there in approximately 15 minutes."
- "It will take approximately an hour to complete the task."
- "The hike is approximately 5 miles long."
- "She arrived approximately an hour ago."
- "The distance between the two cities is approximately 200 miles."
Cultural Context
The word 'approximately' stems from the Latin verb 'approximare', meaning 'to come near'. It has been in common use in English since the late 16th century. Its frequent usage reflects the desire for rough estimates or approximations, especially when precision is not essential or when exact information is unavailable.
The Adventure of the Missing Hour
Story
The Adventure of the Missing Hour
Mia had always been punctual. She was the kind of person who arrived at least 10 minutes early to everything. But today, she was running late. As she rushed through her apartment, glancing at the clock, she thought, 'It’s approximately 9:20. The meeting is in approximately 40 minutes.' She grabbed her bag, quickly running out the door. When she got to the train station, she saw the usual crowd of commuters, and the digital clock above the platform read 9:25. 'I have approximately 15 minutes,' she thought, deciding to grab a quick coffee. As she waited in line, she noticed a familiar face. It was Chris, a colleague she hadn’t seen in months. 'Are you heading to the 10:00 meeting too?' Chris asked, smiling. 'I think it’s approximately at 10, right?' Mia nodded. 'I believe so. But considering it’s a big project, I bet it’ll start at approximately 10:30 instead. They’re always late.' The train arrived, and they took a seat together. As the train rumbled along, they talked about their jobs, the challenges of balancing work and life, and the new project they were both working on. 'So, how’s the project going?' Mia asked. 'Well, the team is about 80% done,' Chris said, shrugging. 'We’re approximately on track for the deadline.' By the time they arrived at the office, Mia was still a bit anxious. She knew that while 'approximately' was a useful word to explain estimates, there were times when it wasn’t enough. The real numbers, the real facts, were what counted when it came to business. When they entered the conference room, the CEO was already there. 'We’ll start in approximately 5 minutes,' she said, as everyone found their seats. Mia couldn’t help but smile—'approximately' seemed to be the word of the day. But, just as she had predicted, the meeting started at 10:30. After all, 'approximately' could mean many things. It was a reminder that while 'approximately' was a handy word, there was always room for the unexpected, and sometimes, an exact answer wasn’t as important as we thought.
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