1. Close in time; about to occur
   "The approaching deadline caused stress in the office";
   - at hand, close at hand, imminent, impendent, impending, approach, coming
    
2. Of the relatively near future
   "the approaching election";
   - coming, forthcoming, upcoming

1. The event of one object coming closer to another
   "We watched the approaching train with anticipation";
   - approach
    
2. The temporal property of becoming nearer in time
   "The approaching deadline caused increasing anxiety";
   - approach, coming

1. Move towards
   "They cheered up immensely as they approached home";
   - near, come on, draw near, draw close, come near
    
2. Come near or verge on, resemble, come nearer in quality, or character
   "His playing approaches that of Horowitz";
   - border on
    
3. Come near in time
   "Winter is approaching"; "approaching old age";
   - come near
    
4. Begin or proceed with an activity or task
   "approach a task";
   - set about, go about
    
5. Make advances to someone, usually with a proposal or suggestion
   "I was approached by the President to serve as his adviser in foreign matters"

See also: bound, close, future

Type of: accost, act, approximate, buttonhole [informal], come, come close, come up, motion, move, movement, nobble [Brit, informal], timing

Encyclopedia: Approaching