1. came close to in quality, nature, or quantity; estimated roughly
Usage: past tense of approximate
2. came near to; approached closely
Usage: past tense of approximate

Examples

• The scientist approximated the distance between the stars.
• Her painting approximated the style of the old masters.
• The budget approximated last year’s spending levels.
• The replica approximated the original artifact quite well.
• He approximated the correct answer on the math test.
• The model approximated real-world conditions in the lab.