1
general::
approximately
more or less than a number or amount – used especially in technical or scientific contexts:
• The company had total revenues of approximately $2 million. • The disease affects approximately 10% of the adult population.
about
more or less than a number or amount. ‘About’ is the usual word to use in everyday English:
• It costs about $30 to get a visa. • There were about 50 people at the meeting.
roughly
about – used when you are trying to give someone a general idea of the size, amount, or number of something:
• The two countries are roughly the same size. • Roughly how many miles do you travel a year?
around
about a number or time – used when you are guessing:
• I’ll be there around 5 o'clock. • The BBC broadcasts around 2,000 radio dramas every year.
somewhere/something in the region of
formal about – used with very large numbers or amounts:
• Last year he earned something in the region of $60 million. • It costs somewhere in the region of £100,000 to train a new doctor.
or so
informal about – used after a period of time, a number, or an amount:
• The journey takes an hour or so.
circa
formal about – used with dates a long time ago in the past:
• The house was built circa 1530.
or more
used after a number or amount, when the total may be a lot more:
• A thirty-second commercial can cost £60,000 or more.
upwards of
more than a number or amount:
• The aircraft can carry upwards of 400 passengers.
Longman-Thesaurus