13 Ways to Say “Approximately” in English

If you want to sound more natural and varied in English, it helps to learn different ways to say approximately. In everyday conversation and writing, native speakers often use expressions like about, around, roughly, and nearly instead of repeating approximately again and again. In this lesson, you will learn 13 useful alternatives with clear meanings and example sentences.

Let’s get started.

1. About

About is one of the most common and useful ways to say approximately. It is especially common in everyday English.

Examples:

• The train is coming in about ten minutes.
• There were about thirty people at the party.

2. Around

Around is very similar to about and is often used when talking about numbers, prices, and times.

Examples:

• The shirt costs around £10.
• I’m not sure when the film starts, but I think it’s around seven.

3. Roughly

Roughly means approximately, but it often sounds slightly more formal or more suitable for estimates.

Examples:

• Roughly speaking, the construction will last six months.
• The two houses were roughly the same size.

4. Or so

We use or so after a number or amount to show that it is not exact.

Examples:

• It took me a month or so to find a new job.
• I think Paul is thirty or so.

5. Give or take

Give or take means approximately, usually with a small difference more or less than the amount mentioned.

Examples:

• They’ve been dating for three months, give or take a week or two.
• The dinner cost us £200, give or take ten pounds.

6. Nearly

Nearly means almost, but not completely. It is used when something is very close to a number or point.

Examples:

• We travelled for nearly two and a half hours.
• It’s been nearly five years since they got divorced.

7. Almost

Almost also means very nearly, and it is extremely common in spoken and written English.

Examples:

• My mum is almost seventy years old.
• There were almost 10,000 people at the demonstration.

8. Circa

Circa is used mainly before dates and years to show that the exact date is unknown. It is more formal and is common in history, art, and academic writing.

Examples:

• The Roman vase dates from circa 2000 BC.
• The writer was born circa 1800.

9. Close to

Close to means nearly or almost, especially when talking about numbers, amounts, or ages.

Examples:

• There were close to 500 people in the audience.
• She is close to sixty, but she looks much younger.

10. A ballpark figure

A ballpark figure is an approximate number or estimate, not an exact one. This expression is especially common in informal and business English.

Examples:

• How much does the repair cost? Can you give me a ballpark figure?
• I don’t know the exact price, but £1,000 would be a ballpark figure.

11. In the region of

In the region of is a more formal expression meaning approximately. It is often used for prices, numbers, and measurements.

Examples:

• The project will cost in the region of £50,000.
• The company employs in the region of 300 people.

12. More or less

More or less means approximately or almost, and it is often used in a conversational way.

Examples:

• There were more or less fifty people at the party.
• The population of the village has stayed more or less the same for years.

13. Just under / Just over

These expressions are very useful when you want to be more precise while still being approximate.

• Just under = slightly less than
• Just over = slightly more than

Examples:

• The journey took just under three hours.
• The bill came to just over £80.

A Quick Note on Usage

Although all of these expressions can show approximation, they are not always used in exactly the same way.

For example:

• about, around, and roughly are very common general alternatives.
• or so usually comes after a number.
• circa is mostly used with dates.
• a ballpark figure is used when asking for or giving an estimate.
• just under and just over are useful when you want to sound a bit more precise.

Final Thoughts

Learning different ways to say approximately can make your English sound more varied, natural, and confident. Instead of repeating the same word again and again, you can choose an expression that fits the situation and the style you want.

So, the next time you want to talk about a number that is not exact but close, try using one of these expressions:

about, around, roughly, or so, give or take, nearly, almost, circa, close to, a ballpark figure, in the region of, more or less, or just under / just over.

That is a lovely little collection to keep in your vocabulary toolbox.

Related posts:

Adjectives and Adverbs in English

50 Formal and Informal Verb Pairs

Other Ways to Say FIT in English

Happen, Occur, Take Place – What’s the Difference?

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