approaching the quality of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "approaching the quality of" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when comparing something to a standard or benchmark that it is getting closer to. Example: "The new model is approaching the quality of its more expensive competitors." Alternative expressions include "nearing the quality of" and "reaching the quality of."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

The results indicate that this approach resolves the architecture of these complex networks and produces results approaching the quality of nanoCT scans.

Acta Materialia

Presumably, at least some of the interventions that emerge will help mimic, for ordinary people entering their very old years, if not exactly Kotelko's performance on the track, at least something approaching the quality of her life.

The New York Times - Magazine

By evoking those eight classic albums - Smith was way ahead of the crowd in understanding that even in their early songs, Lennon & McCartney were rapidly approaching the quality of the pioneers of the Great American Songbook.

HuffPost

At all three temperatures, the CGH profiles were approaching the quality of the manual hybridization.

BMC Cancer

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Quickly grasping the complexities of the new style, with its extended harmonies and shifting rhythms, Moody added an appealing melodic flow to his improvised solos, expressed in instrumental timbres approaching the qualities of the human voice.

Los Angeles Times

"What we're dealing with on our computer screens doesn't approach the quality of paper".

The New York Times - Tech

Only one, a taut, sad little Korean War tale, begins to approach the quality of his novels.

The New York Times - Books

His best works after 1815 were portraits, some of which approached the quality of his Napoleonic pictures e.g., Young Girl in a Necklace (exhibited 1913).

Britannica

If the alternative travel sites hope to approach the quality of online travel behemoths like Travelocity and Expedia, some will have considerably more work ahead of them.

The New York Times - Travel

After their divorce, Ball became her own producer and it is no coincidence that none of her subsequent series ever approached the quality of "I Love Lucy".

The New York Times - Arts

Though such frescoes as the "Lamentation over the Dead Christ" reveal Liberale as a forceful and expressive artist, his panel paintings seldom approach the quality of his illuminations.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure that the subject being described and the object of comparison are of a similar category to maintain logical parallelism.

Common error

Do not substitute 'of' with 'to' or 'from' in this specific construction. While you 'approach to' a physical location in some archaic forms, the qualitative comparison always requires 'the quality of' to identify the specific attribute being measured.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "approaching the quality of" functions as a comparative verbal construction, typically using a present participle to describe a state of progress or approximation toward a specific standard. In Ludwig, it is frequently used to evaluate how a secondary method, product or result compares to a recognized benchmark or gold standard.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

45%

News & Media

35%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Formal & Business

1.5%

Wiki

0.5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "approaching the quality of" is a sophisticated linguistic tool for making high-level comparisons. According to Ludwig AI, it is grammatically correct and most prevalent in scientific and academic contexts where benchmarking is essential. It serves to bridge the gap between a secondary subject and a primary gold standard, suggesting that while they may not be identical, the gap in excellence is significantly narrowing. Whether used to describe data resolution in CT scans or the performance of an athlete, the phrase remains a reliable choice for professional writing that requires nuance and precision.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

nearing the standard of

Focuses more on meeting an established benchmark rather than an inherent quality.

rivaling the excellence of

Suggests a more competitive relationship where the quality might even surpass the original.

matching the caliber of

Implies a level of equality in worth or ability.

comparable to the level of

A more neutral observation that the two things belong in the same tier.

coming close to the grade of

Slightly more informal and often used in evaluative or educational contexts.

approximating the value of

Shifts the focus from inherent quality to measurable worth or utility.

nearing the benchmark of

Emphasizes the attainment of a specific, pre-defined goal.

paralleling the merits of

Suggests that the subject shares similar positive attributes.

edging toward the condition of

Implies a slower, more gradual process of improvement.

simulating the integrity of

Often used when an artificial or synthetic version mimics a natural or original standard.

FAQs

How to use "approaching the quality of" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe an improvement, such as "The latest smartphone cameras are finally "approaching the quality of" professional DSLRs."

What can I say instead of "approaching the quality of"?

Depending on your tone, you could use "nearing the standard of", "rivaling the excellence of", or "comparable to."

Is "approaching the quality of" formal?

Yes, it is considered formal and is widely used in academic journals, technical reports and high-end journalism to provide precise qualitative assessments.

Which is more common, "approaching the quality of" or "nearing the quality of"?

Both are correct, but ""approaching the quality of"" is more frequent in scientific literature, while "nearing the quality of" is often found in general news.