English Reference
adjective · verb · noun

approaching

adj. · v. · n.
US /əˈpɹoʊtʃɪŋ/ UK /ɐpɹˈəʊtʃɪŋ/ ap·proach·ing

  1. 01 B1 Intermediate

    adj.coming closer in time or about to happen soon.

    adj.describing an event or period that is imminent or nearing in time.

    Simple

    The students are all studying hard for their approaching exams.

    In context

    The approaching deadline forced the legal team to work through the weekend to ensure all documentation was filed correctly.

  2. 02 A2 Elementary

    v.moving toward a person, place, or thing.

    v.the present participle of 'approach', indicating physical movement toward a destination or object.

    Simple

    I could see a large truck approaching in the distance.

    In context

    Approaching the summit, the hikers found that the wind had increased significantly, making the final ascent much more treacherous than anticipated.

  3. 03 B2 Upper Intermediate

    n.the act of coming closer to something.

    n.the gerund form denoting the process or act of drawing near in space or time.

    Simple

    The approaching of the storm made everyone run for cover.

    In context

    The sudden approaching of the enemy fleet caught the coastal guards entirely by surprise, as the radar had been malfunctioning since dawn.


By surface analysis, approach + -ing.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B1 · Intermediate
Frequency Common
Updated