Definitions
- Describing movement in the direction of a particular place or goal. - Referring to a person's attitude or behavior in relation to something. - Talking about a trend or development that is moving in a particular direction.
- Describing movement closer to a particular place or object. - Referring to a time or event that is drawing near. - Talking about a person's behavior or attitude in anticipation of something.
List of Similarities
- 1Both words describe movement or progression towards something.
- 2Both can be used to describe physical or metaphorical movement.
- 3Both can be used as verbs, adjectives, or adverbs.
- 4Both convey a sense of anticipation or expectation.
What is the difference?
- 1Direction: Toward implies movement in a specific direction, while approaching implies getting closer to something without specifying a particular direction.
- 2Time: Approaching specifically refers to a time or event that is drawing near, while toward does not have a temporal connotation.
- 3Attitude: Toward can refer to a person's attitude or behavior in relation to something, while approaching does not have this connotation.
- 4Usage: Toward is more commonly used in American English, while approaching is more commonly used in British English.
- 5Formality: Toward is generally considered more formal than approaching.
Remember this!
Toward and approaching are synonyms that both describe movement or progression towards something. However, toward implies movement in a specific direction, while approaching implies getting closer to something without specifying a particular direction. Additionally, approaching specifically refers to a time or event that is drawing near, while toward can also refer to a person's attitude or behavior in relation to something.
