# approaching

/əˈpɹoʊtʃɪŋ/ (US) · /ɐpɹˈəʊtʃɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/approaching
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. coming soon

adjective · CEFR B1

coming closer in time or about to happen soon.

For teachers: describing an event or period that is imminent or nearing in time.

- The students are all studying hard for their approaching exams.
- The approaching deadline forced the legal team to work through the weekend to ensure all documentation was filed correctly.

### 2. moving closer

verb · CEFR A2

moving toward a person, place, or thing.

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

- I could see a large truck approaching in the distance.
- Approaching the summit, the hikers found that the wind had increased significantly, making the final ascent much more treacherous than anticipated.

### 3. the act of nearing

noun · CEFR B2

the act of coming closer to something.

For teachers: the gerund form denoting the process or act of drawing near in space or time.

- The approaching of the storm made everyone run for cover.
- The sudden approaching of the enemy fleet caught the coastal guards entirely by surprise, as the radar had been malfunctioning since dawn.

## Examples

- The approaching storm looks very dark and dangerous.
- The approaching deadline forced the team to work late every night this week.
- The sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the empty hallway, causing the guard to reach for his flashlight.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.