approximate
/əˈprɒk.sɪ.mət/(adjective)
AWL Sublist 4CEFR B2IELTS Band 7.0 - 9.0
Academic Definition
Close to the actual, but not completely accurate or exact.
Key Academic Collocations
Click to copyWord Family & Derivatives
approximateapproximatelyapproximationapproximating
Lexical Alternatives (Synonyms)
estimatedroughimpreciseproximateballpark
Academic Sample Sentences in Context
"The approximate proportion of electricity generated from wind power hovered around 15% during the third quarter."
"While official records provide only approximate figures, an estimated 2.4 million citizens were displaced by famine."
"Initial feasibility studies can furnish only an approximate estimation of long-term subway tunnel construction expenses."
IELTS Examiner Scoring Strategy (Lexical Resource)
'Approximately' is a key Task 1 modifier: 'rose to approximately 50%' (avoids sounding unscientific when reading charts).