annähert

Annähert is a German verb form associated with the verb annähern. In standard modern usage, the most common ways to express approaching or drawing closer are "er nähert sich dem Ziel" (he is approaching the goal) or the transitive construction with the prefix separated, such as "etwas nähert an" or, more naturally, "etwas nähert sich an" depending on the context. The form "annähert" is relatively rare in contemporary German and is not the preferred everyday output; it sometimes appears in older texts or in more technical or formal writing where the prefix treatment differs.

The verb annähern means to bring closer in space or in similarity and to move toward a target value or state. It is used in physical, temporal, and figurative senses. In mathematics, philosophy, and the sciences, annähern describes the process of approximation—making a complex or exact concept more tractable by a simpler representation. Related forms include the adjective annähernd (approximately) and the noun Annäherung (an approximation or approach). The pair of reflexive and non-reflexive uses—sich annähern (to approach) and etwas annähern (to bring something closer to something)—are common in everyday language, with the reflexive form being particularly widespread for nearness in space or distance and for convergence in discussions of trends or goals.

In summary, annähert is a less common finite form linked to annähern, while the standard expressions for approaching are a critical part of German grammar: nähert sich, nähert an, or sich annähern. For most readers, the base verb forms and related nouns/adverbs provide the typical vocabulary for discussion of proximity and approximation. See also Annäherung and annähernd.