approximately

/əˈprɒksɪmətli/ (bre, ipa) · /əˈprɑːksɪmətli/ (ame, ipa) · /ə-ˈpräk-sə-mət-lē/ (ame, mw)

approximately — adverb

1. used in front of a number, amount, or time to show that the figure is near the r

1.副詞B1
釋義

used in front of a number, amount, or time to show that the figure is near the real one but might not be exact.

例句

Approximately 200 students attended Amara's graduation ceremony last Friday.

approximately + number of people

The drive from Taipei to Kaohsiung takes approximately four hours by car.

approximately + duration

同義詞
  • about

    more common in everyday speech and writing

  • around

    informal, often used with times and ages

  • roughly

    slightly less precise; common in spoken English

  • circa

    formal, mainly used with historical dates

反義詞
  • exactly

    shows the figure is precise

  • precisely

    stronger than 'exactly', often emphasising accuracy

文法句型

approximately + number/quantity/time

用法筆記

Almost always placed directly before a number, quantity, or time expression. Common in formal writing, news, and reports; in casual speech, speakers usually prefer 'about' or 'around'.

常見錯誤

❌The team has 50 members approximately.
✅The team has approximately 50 members.
💡'approximately' goes before the number, not after the noun phrase.
❌It will take approximately.
✅It will take approximately ten minutes.
💡'approximately' must be followed by a number or quantity, not used on its own.