Reach vs. Approach — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Maham Liaqat — Updated on May 7, 2024
"Reach" is to arrive at or extend toward a destination, while "approach" means to move closer to something or address an issue.
Difference Between Reach and Approach
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
"Reach" typically implies arriving at a final destination or achieving a goal. "Approach," on the other hand, suggests the action of moving closer to a target, either physically or metaphorically.
To reach something often involves a clear endpoint, like reaching a location or a milestone. Approaching something indicates coming closer, hinting at progress but not yet completion.
"Reach" also conveys the idea of stretching or extending one's arm to obtain an object, whereas "approach" involves a measured movement toward a target or problem.
In communication, to reach someone means to connect, while to approach can refer to initiating a conversation or considering a topic.
Comparison Chart
Meaning
Arrive at a place or goal
Move closer to a target or consider an issue
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Usage Context
Finality or completion
Progress or preparation
Physical Action
Extend an arm toward something
Move physically closer to a target
Metaphorical Use
Achieve or connect
Consider, examine, or address
Finality
Suggests an endpoint or accomplishment
Suggests progress toward a goal
Compare with Definitions
Reach
To achieve a specific level, condition, or position.
The player reached new career highs this season.
Approach
An act or means of coming closer or dealing with something.
Their approach to problem-solving was innovative.
Reach
To stretch out one's arm to grasp or obtain something.
She reached for the book on the highest shelf.
Approach
To come nearer to a destination, event, or objective.
The ship approached the dock with great care.
Reach
To establish communication or contact.
You can reach me by email during office hours.
Approach
To deal with a situation or topic by considering its aspects.
He approached the issue diplomatically.
Reach
To arrive at or attain a destination or goal.
After a long journey, they finally reached the summit.
Approach
The direction or path taken to reach a specific point.
The pilot needed a clear approach to the runway.
Reach
The extent to which something can be touched or affected.
The old tower was just beyond the boy's reach.
Approach
To initiate contact or conversation with someone.
The manager approached the team about the upcoming changes.
Reach
Stretch out an arm in a specified direction in order to touch or grasp something
He reached over and turned off his bedside light
She reached out to squeeze Hope's hand
Approach
To come near or nearer, as in space or time
Spring approaches.
Reach
Arrive at; get as far as
The show is due to reach our screens early next year
‘Goodbye,’ she said as they reached the door
Approach
(Sports) To make an approach, as in golf.
Reach
Sail with the wind blowing from the side of the ship
‘Brighteyes’ was followed round the Goldstone by ‘Patriot’, while ‘Patriot’ white-sail reached
Approach
To come or go near or nearer to
Approached the tunnel.
Reach
An act of reaching out with one's arm
She made a reach for him
Approach
To come close to, as in appearance, quality, or condition; approximate
The performance approaches perfection.
Reach
The extent or range of something's application, effect, or influence
He told a story to illustrate the reach of his fame
Approach
To make a proposal or overtures to with a specific end in view
Approached the administration for a raise.
Reach
A continuous extent of water, especially a stretch of river between two bends, or the part of a canal between locks
The upper reaches of the Nile
Approach
To begin to deal with or work on
Approached the task with dread.
Approached the issue from a historical perspective.
Reach
A distance traversed in reaching
He could sail a clear reach for Key Canaka
Approach
The act of approaching
The approach of night.
Reach
To stretch out or put forth (a body part); extend
Reached out an arm.
Approach
A fairly close resemblance; an approximation.
Reach
To touch or grasp by stretching out or extending
Can't reach the shelf.
Approach
A way or means of reaching something; an access
An approach to the bridge.
Reach
To arrive at; attain
Reached their destination.
Reached a conclusion.
Approach
The method used in dealing with or accomplishing
A logical approach to the problem.
Reach
To succeed in getting in contact with or communicating with
They reached us by phone. Our newsletter reaches a specialized readership.
Approach
An advance or overture made by one person to another.
Reach
To succeed in having an effect on
No one seems able to reach her anymore.
Approach
The golf stroke following the drive from the tee with which a player tries to get the ball onto the putting green.
Reach
To extend as far as
The property reaches the shore.
Approach
The steps taken prior to executing a competitive maneuver, as by a diver before diving forward from a springboard or by a bowler before delivering the ball.
Reach
To project as far as
A distant cry reached our ears.
Approach
The part of the area behind the foul line in a bowling alley used by a bowler in delivering the ball.
Reach
To travel as far as
A long fly ball that reached the stadium's wall.
Approach
(intransitive) To come or go near, in place or time; to move toward; to advance nearer; to draw nigh.
Reach
To aggregate or amount to
Sales reached the millions.
Approach
To play an approach shot.
Reach
(Informal) To grasp and hand over to another
Reach me the sugar.
Approach
Used intransitively, followed by to: to draw near (to someone or something); to make advances; to approximate or become almost equal.
He approaches to the character of the ablest statesman.
Reach
To extend or move a hand, arm, or other body part, especially when trying to touch or grasp something
Reached for a book.
Reach into a pocket.
Approach
Of an immovable object or a number of such objects: to be positioned as to (notionally) appear to be moving towards (a place).
As we drove along the driveway, the trees approaching the house seemed more eerie.
Reach
To have extension in space or time
A coat that reaches to the knee.
A career that reached over several decades.
Approach
To move toward (someone or something) in place, time, character, or value; to draw nearer to.
“Would counsel please approach the bench?” asked the judge.
He approached the age of manhood.
Reach
To have an influence or effect
A philosophy that reaches into many disciplines.
Approach
(transitive) To bring (something) near something else; to cause (something) to draw near.
Reach
To make an effort to address the needs of a group or community. Often used with out
A program to reach out to disengaged youth.
Approach
(transitive) To attempt to make (a policy) or solve (a problem).
Reach
(Nautical) To sail with the wind abeam.
Approach
(transitive) To bring up or propose to (someone) an idea, question, request, etc.
Reach
The act or an instance of stretching or thrusting out
The frog caught the insect with a sudden reach of its tongue.
Approach
To take approaches to (a place); to move towards (a place) by using covered roads, trenches, or other works.
Reach
The extent or distance something can reach
A boxer with a long reach.
Approach
An act of drawing near in place or time; an advancing or coming near.
Reach
Range of understanding; comprehension
A subject beyond my reach.
Approach
An act of coming near in character or value; an approximation.
Reach
Range or scope of influence or effect
The reach of the transmitter.
Approach
An avenue, passage, or way by which a building or place can be approached; an access.
Reach
An expanse of land or water, such as a stretch of water visible between bends in a river or channel.
Approach
(climbing) A path taken to reach the climbing area, for example, from a car park, road, etc.
Reach
A rank or level in a social group or organization
The lower reaches of society.
Approach
(figuratively) A manner of making (a policy) or solving (a problem, etc.).
Reach
A pole connecting the rear axle of a vehicle with the front.
Approach
(archaic) An opportunity of drawing near; access.
Reach
(Nautical) The tack of a sailing vessel with the wind abeam.
Approach
The way an aircraft comes in to land at an airport.
Reach
(intransitive) To extend, stretch, or thrust out (for example a limb or object held in the hand).
He reached for a weapon that was on the table.
He reached for his shoe with his legs.
Approach
A specific procedure used for approaching and landing at an airport.
We flew the RNAV/GPS A approach to runway 16.
Reach
(transitive) To give to someone by stretching out a limb, especially the hand; to give with the hand; to pass to another person; to hand over.
To reach one a book
Approach
(bowling) The area before the lane in which a bowler may stand or run up before bowling the ball.
Reach
(intransitive) To stretch out the hand.
Approach
To come or go near, in place or time; to draw nigh; to advance nearer.
Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city?
But exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Reach
(transitive) To attain or obtain by stretching forth the hand; to extend some part of the body, or something held, so as to touch, strike, grasp, etc.
To reach an object with the hand, or with a spear
“I can't quite reach the pepper. Could you pass it to me?”
The gun was stored in a small box on a high closet shelf, but the boy managed to reach it by climbing on other boxes.
Approach
To draw near, in a figurative sense; to make advances; to approximate; as, he approaches to the character of the ablest statesman.
Reach
To strike or touch.
His bullet reached its intended target.
Approach
To bring near; to cause to draw near; to advance.
Reach
To extend an action, effort, or influence to; to penetrate to; to pierce, or cut.
Approach
To come near to in place, time, or character; to draw nearer to; as, to approach the city; to approach my cabin; he approached the age of manhood.
He was an admirable poet, and thought even to have approached Homer.
Reach
(transitive) To extend to; to stretch out as far as; to touch by virtue of extent.
His hand reaches the river
When the forest reaches the river, you will be able to rest.
Approach
To take approaches to.
Reach
(transitive) To arrive at (a place) by effort of any kind.
After three years, he reached the position of manager.
The climbers reached the top of the mountain after a gruelling ten-day hike.
Approach
The act of drawing near; a coming or advancing near.
A nearer approach to the human type.
Reach
To make contact with.
I tried to reach you all day.
Approach
A access, or opportunity of drawing near.
The approach to kings and principal persons.
Reach
To connect with (someone) on an emotional level, making them receptive of (one); to get through to (someone).
What will it take for me to reach him?
Approach
Movements to gain favor; advances.
Reach
To arrive at a particular destination.
Approach
A way, passage, or avenue by which a place or buildings can be approached; an access.
Reach
(transitive) To continue living until or up to (a certain age).
You can only access the inheritance money when you reach the age of 25.
Approach
The advanced works, trenches, or covered roads made by besiegers in their advances toward a fortress or military post.
Reach
(obsolete) To understand; to comprehend.
Approach
See Approaching.
Reach
To strain after something; to make (sometimes futile or pretentious) efforts.
Reach for your dreams.
Reach for the stars!
Approach
A stroke whose object is to land the ball on the putting green. It is made with an iron club.
Reach
(intransitive) To extend in dimension, time etc.; to stretch out continuously (past, beyond, above, from etc. something).
Approach
That part of a flight during which an airplane descends toward the landing strip.
Reach
(nautical) To sail on the wind, as from one point of tacking to another, or with the wind nearly abeam.
Approach
The steps taken by a bowler just before delivering the ball toward the pins.
Reach
To arrive at a particular destination, especially to join someone; to meet up.
What time you reaching tomorrow?
Approach
Ideas or actions intended to deal with a problem or situation;
His approach to every problem is to draw up a list of pros and cons
An attack on inflation
His plan of attack was misguided
Reach
The act of stretching or extending; extension.
Approach
The act of drawing spatially closer to something;
The hunter's approach scattered the geese
Reach
The ability to reach or touch with the person, a limb, or something held or thrown.
The fruit is beyond my reach.
To be within reach of cannon shot
Approach
A way of entering or leaving;
He took a wrong turn on the access to the bridge
Reach
The power of stretching out or extending action, influence, or the like; power of attainment or management; extent of force or capacity.
Approach
The final path followed by an aircraft as it is landing
Reach
Extent; stretch; expanse; hence, application; influence; result; scope.
Approach
The event of one object coming closer to another
Reach
(informal) An exaggeration; an extension beyond evidence or normal; a stretch.
To call George eloquent is certainly a reach.
Approach
A tentative suggestion designed to elicit the reactions of others;
She rejected his advances
Reach
(boxing) The distance a boxer's arm can extend to land a blow.
Approach
The temporal property of becoming nearer in time;
The approach of winter
Reach
(nautical) Any point of sail in which the wind comes from the side of a vessel, excluding close-hauled.
Approach
A close approximation;
The nearest approach to genius
Reach
(nautical) The distance traversed between tacks.
Approach
A relatively short golf shot intended to put the ball onto the putting green;
He lost the hole when his approach rolled over the green
Reach
(nautical) A stretch of a watercourse which can be sailed in one reach (in the previous sense). An extended portion of water; a stretch; a straightish portion of a stream, river, or arm of the sea extending up into the land, as from one turn to another. By extension, the adjacent land.
Approach
Move towards;
We were approaching our destination
They are drawing near
The enemy army came nearer and nearer
Reach
A level stretch of a watercourse, as between rapids in a river or locks in a canal. (examples?)
Approach
Come near or verge on, resemble, come nearer in quality, or character;
This borders on discrimination!
His playing approaches that of Horowitz
Reach
An extended portion or area of land or water.
Approach
Begin to deal with;
Approach a task
Go about a difficult problem
Approach a new project
Reach
(obsolete) An article to obtain an advantage.
Approach
Come near in time;
Winter is approaching
Approaching old age
Reach
The pole or rod connecting the rear axle with the forward bolster of a wagon.
Approach
Make advances to someone, usually with a proposal or suggestion;
I was approached by the President to serve as his adviser in foreign matters
Reach
(obsolete or dialect) retch.
Reach
To retch.
Reach
To extend; to stretch; to thrust out; to put forth, as a limb, a member, something held, or the like.
Her tresses yellow, and long straughten,Unto her heeles down they raughten.
Reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side.
Fruit trees, over woody, reached too farTheir pampered boughs.
Reach
Hence, to deliver by stretching out a member, especially the hand; to give with the hand; to pass to another; to hand over; as, to reach one a book.
He reached me a full cup.
Reach
To attain or obtain by stretching forth the hand; to extend some part of the body, or something held by one, so as to touch, strike, grasp, or the like; as, to reach an object with the hand, or with a spear.
O patron power, . . . thy present aid afford,Than I may reach the beast.
Reach
To strike, hit, or touch with a missile; as, to reach an object with an arrow, a bullet, or a shell.
Reach
Hence, to extend an action, effort, or influence to; to penetrate to; to pierce, or cut, as far as.
If these examples of grown men reach not the case of children, let them examine.
Reach
To extend to; to stretch out as far as; to touch by virtue of extent; as, his land reaches the river.
Thy desire . . . leads to no excessThat reaches blame.
Reach
To arrive at; to come to; to get as far as.
Before this letter reaches your hands.
Reach
To arrive at by effort of any kind; to attain to; to gain; to be advanced to.
The best account of the appearances of nature which human penetration can reach, comes short of its reality.
Reach
To understand; to comprehend.
Do what, sir? I reach you not.
Reach
To overreach; to deceive.
Reach
To stretch out the hand.
Goddess humane, reach, then, and freely taste!
Reach
To strain after something; to make efforts.
Reaching above our nature does no good.
Reach
To extend in dimension, time, amount, action, influence, etc., so as to touch, attain to, or be equal to, something.
And behold, a ladder set upon the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven.
The new world reaches quite across the torrid zone.
Reach
To sail on the wind, as from one point of tacking to another, or with the wind nearly abeam.
He would be in the posture of the mind reaching after a positive idea of infinity.
Reach
An effort to vomit.
Reach
The act of stretching or extending; extension; power of reaching or touching with the person, or a limb, or something held or thrown; as, the fruit is beyond my reach; to be within reach of cannon shot.
Reach
The power of stretching out or extending action, influence, or the like; power of attainment or management; extent of force or capacity.
Drawn by others who had deeper reaches than themselves to matters which they least intended.
Be sure yourself and your own reach to know.
Reach
Extent; stretch; expanse; hence, application; influence; result; scope.
And on the left hand, hell,With long reach, interposed.
I am to pray you not to strain my speechTo grosser issues, nor to larger reachThan to suspicion.
Reach
An extended portion of land or water; a stretch; a straight portion of a stream or river, as from one turn to another; a level stretch, as between locks in a canal; an arm of the sea extending up into the land.
The coast . . . is very full of creeks and reaches.
Reach
An artifice to obtain an advantage.
The Duke of Parma had particular reaches and ends of his own underhand to cross the design.
Reach
The pole or rod which connects the hind axle with the forward bolster of a wagon.
Reach
The limits within which something can be effective;
Range of motion
He was beyond the reach of their fire
Reach
An area in which something acts or operates or has power or control:
The range of a supersonic jet
The ambit of municipal legislation
Within the compass of this article
Within the scope of an investigation
Outside the reach of the law
In the political orbit of a world power
Reach
The act of physically reaching or thrusting out
Reach
The limit of capability;
Within the compass of education
Reach
Reach a destination, either real or abstract;
We hit Detroit by noon
The water reached the doorstep
We barely made it to the finish line
I have to hit the MAC machine before the weekend starts
Reach
Reach a point in time, or a certain state or level;
The thermometer hit 100 degrees
This car can reach a speed of 140 miles per hour
Reach
Move forward or upward in order to touch; also in a metaphorical sense;
Government reaches out to the people
Reach
Be in or establish communication with;
Our advertisements reach millions
He never contacted his children after he emigrated to Australia
Reach
To gain with effort;
She achieved her goal despite setbacks
Reach
To extend as far as;
The sunlight reached the wall
Can he reach?
The chair must not touch the wall
Reach
Reach a goal, e.g.,
Make the first team
We made it!
She may not make the grade
Reach
Place into the hands or custody of;
Hand me the spoon, please
Turn the files over to me, please
He turned over the prisoner to his lawyers
Reach
To exert much effort or energy;
Straining our ears to hear
Common Curiosities
Does "reach" imply completion of a journey?
Yes, "reach" often signifies arriving at a destination or achieving a goal.
Is "approach" used only for physical movement?
No, "approach" can also mean addressing an issue or starting a conversation.
Does "reach" always involve physical extension?
Not always; it can also mean achieving a metaphorical goal, like "reaching a milestone."
How is "reach" used in business?
It often relates to achieving goals or expanding a customer base.
Does "approach" have a sense of finality?
No, "approach" implies progress toward something but not necessarily reaching it.
Can "approach" refer to planning or strategy?
Yes, "approach" can relate to considering different methods or angles.
How does "reach" differ from "approach" in goal-setting?
"Reach" means achieving the goal, while "approach" is about progressing toward it.
Can "approach" refer to a strategy?
Yes, "approach" can describe a method or plan for solving a problem.
Is "reach" limited to positive goals?
No, "reach" can refer to negative outcomes too, like "reaching a breaking point."
Is "approach" used in aviation?
Yes, it describes the final phase of a plane’s flight before landing.
How is "reach" used in communication?
"Reach" means to connect with someone, like calling or sending a message.
Is "approach" used in creative fields?
Yes, "approach" can describe how artists or writers tackle creative projects.
Can "reach" imply physical contact?
Yes, it can mean extending to touch or grasp an object.
What connotations does "approach" carry in conversation?
It suggests beginning a discussion or addressing a topic tactfully.
Can "reach" refer to communication tools?
Yes, reaching someone involves using phones, emails, or other tools.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
