Reach vs. Approach — What's the Difference?

Stretch out an arm in a specified direction in order to touch or grasp something

To come near or nearer, as in space or time

Arrive at; get as far as

(Sports) To make an approach, as in golf.

Sail with the wind blowing from the side of the ship

To come or go near or nearer to

An act of reaching out with one's arm

To come close to, as in appearance, quality, or condition; approximate

The extent or range of something's application, effect, or influence

To make a proposal or overtures to with a specific end in view

A continuous extent of water, especially a stretch of river between two bends, or the part of a canal between locks

To begin to deal with or work on

A distance traversed in reaching

The act of approaching

To stretch out or put forth (a body part); extend

A fairly close resemblance; an approximation.

To touch or grasp by stretching out or extending

A way or means of reaching something; an access

To arrive at; attain

The method used in dealing with or accomplishing

To succeed in getting in contact with or communicating with

An advance or overture made by one person to another.

To succeed in having an effect on

The golf stroke following the drive from the tee with which a player tries to get the ball onto the putting green.

To extend as far as

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.

To project as far as

The part of the area behind the foul line in a bowling alley used by a bowler in delivering the ball.

To travel as far as

(intransitive) To come or go near, in place or time; to move toward; to advance nearer; to draw nigh.

To aggregate or amount to

To play an approach shot.

(Informal) To grasp and hand over to another

Used intransitively, followed by to: to draw near (to someone or something); to make advances; to approximate or become almost equal.

To extend or move a hand, arm, or other body part, especially when trying to touch or grasp something

Of an immovable object or a number of such objects: to be positioned as to (notionally) appear to be moving towards (a place).

To have extension in space or time

To move toward (someone or something) in place, time, character, or value; to draw nearer to.

To have an influence or effect

(transitive) To bring (something) near something else; to cause (something) to draw near.

To make an effort to address the needs of a group or community. Often used with out

(transitive) To attempt to make (a policy) or solve (a problem).

(Nautical) To sail with the wind abeam.

(transitive) To bring up or propose to (someone) an idea, question, request, etc.

The act or an instance of stretching or thrusting out

To have sexual intercourse with (someone).

The extent or distance something can reach

To take approaches to (a place); to move towards (a place) by using covered roads, trenches, or other works.

Range of understanding; comprehension

An act of drawing near in place or time; an advancing or coming near.

Range or scope of influence or effect

An act of coming near in character or value; an approximation.

An expanse of land or water, such as a stretch of water visible between bends in a river or channel.

An avenue, passage, or way by which a building or place can be approached; an access.

A rank or level in a social group or organization

(climbing) A path taken to reach the climbing area, for example, from a car park, road, etc.

A pole connecting the rear axle of a vehicle with the front.

(figuratively) A manner of making (a policy) or solving (a problem, etc.).

(Nautical) The tack of a sailing vessel with the wind abeam.

(archaic) An opportunity of drawing near; access.

(intransitive) To extend, stretch, or thrust out (for example a limb or object held in the hand).

The way an aircraft comes in to land at an airport.

(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.

A specific procedure used for approaching and landing at an airport.

(intransitive) To stretch out the hand.

(bowling) The area before the lane in which a bowler may stand or run up before bowling the ball.

(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 come or go near, in place or time; to draw nigh; to advance nearer.

To strike or touch.

To draw near, in a figurative sense; to make advances; to approximate; as, he approaches to the character of the ablest statesman.

To extend an action, effort, or influence to; to penetrate to; to pierce, or cut.

To bring near; to cause to draw near; to advance.

(transitive) To extend to; to stretch out as far as; to touch by virtue of extent.

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.

(transitive) To arrive at (a place) by effort of any kind.

To take approaches to.

To make contact with.

The act of drawing near; a coming or advancing near.

To connect with (someone) on an emotional level, making them receptive of (one); to get through to (someone).

A access, or opportunity of drawing near.

To arrive at a particular destination.

Movements to gain favor; advances.

(transitive) To continue living until or up to (a certain age).

A way, passage, or avenue by which a place or buildings can be approached; an access.

(obsolete) To understand; to comprehend.

The advanced works, trenches, or covered roads made by besiegers in their advances toward a fortress or military post.

To strain after something; to make (sometimes futile or pretentious) efforts.

See Approaching.

(intransitive) To extend in dimension, time etc.; to stretch out continuously (past, beyond, above, from etc. something).

A stroke whose object is to land the ball on the putting green. It is made with an iron club.

(nautical) To sail on the wind, as from one point of tacking to another, or with the wind nearly abeam.

That part of a flight during which an airplane descends toward the landing strip.

To arrive at a particular destination, especially to join someone; to meet up.

The steps taken by a bowler just before delivering the ball toward the pins.

The act of stretching or extending; extension.

Ideas or actions intended to deal with a problem or situation;

The ability to reach or touch with the person, a limb, or something held or thrown.

The act of drawing spatially closer to something;

The power of stretching out or extending action, influence, or the like; power of attainment or management; extent of force or capacity.

A way of entering or leaving;

Extent; stretch; expanse; hence, application; influence; result; scope.

The final path followed by an aircraft as it is landing

(informal) An exaggeration; an extension beyond evidence or normal; a stretch.

The event of one object coming closer to another

(boxing) The distance a boxer's arm can extend to land a blow.

A tentative suggestion designed to elicit the reactions of others;

(nautical) Any point of sail in which the wind comes from the side of a vessel, excluding close-hauled.

The temporal property of becoming nearer in time;

(nautical) The distance traversed between tacks.

A close approximation;

(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.

A relatively short golf shot intended to put the ball onto the putting green;

A level stretch of a watercourse, as between rapids in a river or locks in a canal. (examples?)

Move towards;

An extended portion or area of land or water.

Come near or verge on, resemble, come nearer in quality, or character;

(obsolete) An article to obtain an advantage.

Begin to deal with;

The pole or rod connecting the rear axle with the forward bolster of a wagon.

Come near in time;

(obsolete or dialect) retch.

Make advances to someone, usually with a proposal or suggestion;

To retch.

To extend; to stretch; to thrust out; to put forth, as a limb, a member, something held, or the like.

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.

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.

To strike, hit, or touch with a missile; as, to reach an object with an arrow, a bullet, or a shell.

Hence, to extend an action, effort, or influence to; to penetrate to; to pierce, or cut, as far as.

To extend to; to stretch out as far as; to touch by virtue of extent; as, his land reaches the river.

To arrive at; to come to; to get as far as.

To arrive at by effort of any kind; to attain to; to gain; to be advanced to.

To understand; to comprehend.

To overreach; to deceive.

To stretch out the hand.

To strain after something; to make efforts.

To extend in dimension, time, amount, action, influence, etc., so as to touch, attain to, or be equal to, something.

To sail on the wind, as from one point of tacking to another, or with the wind nearly abeam.

An effort to vomit.

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.

The power of stretching out or extending action, influence, or the like; power of attainment or management; extent of force or capacity.

Extent; stretch; expanse; hence, application; influence; result; scope.

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.

An artifice to obtain an advantage.

The pole or rod which connects the hind axle with the forward bolster of a wagon.

The limits within which something can be effective;

An area in which something acts or operates or has power or control:

The act of physically reaching or thrusting out

The limit of capability;

Reach a destination, either real or abstract;

Reach a point in time, or a certain state or level;

Move forward or upward in order to touch; also in a metaphorical sense;

Be in or establish communication with;

To gain with effort;

To extend as far as;

Reach a goal, e.g.,

Place into the hands or custody of;

To exert much effort or energy;