navigate

verb

nav·​i·​gate ˈna-və-ˌgāt How to pronounce navigate (audio)
navigated; navigating

intransitive verb

1
: to travel by water : sail
navigated down to the mouth of the river
2
: to steer a course through a medium
specifically : to operate an airplane
navigate by instrument
3
: get around, move
was well enough to navigate under his own power

transitive verb

1
a
: to sail over, on, or through
able to navigate the deep ocean waters
b
: to make one's way over or through : traverse
navigate the Internet via hypertext links connecting information-rich computers around the world.Stephanie Losee
2
a
: to steer or manage (a boat) in sailing
b
: to operate or control the course of
navigate an airplane

Examples of navigate in a Sentence

For thousands of years, sailors navigated by the stars. How about if you drive and I navigate? I'd need a map to navigate the city. Only flat-bottomed boats can safely navigate the canal. He has learned to navigate in rough waters. The downtown area is easily navigated on foot. She has trouble navigating the stairs with her crutches. It took us 10 minutes to navigate through the parking lot to the exit. The captain navigated the ship. He has had experience navigating airplanes through storms.
Recent Examples on the Web Abstractions navigates promising ideas in science and mathematics. Elizabeth Landau, Quanta Magazine, 18 Mar. 2024 Crews were also forced to navigate numerous propane tanks and an above-ground fuel tank, all of which posed a danger during the fire, according to YourCentralValley.com. Abigail Adams, Peoplemag, 18 Mar. 2024 Around this time three years ago, while most of us navigated pandemic life, real estate developers across Greater Boston looked to life-science laboratories, and saw dollar signs. Catherine Carlock — Boston Globe, STAT, 16 Mar. 2024 The actor, author, podcast host and entrepreneur is preparing for the launch later this year of Beginning is Now, an online ecommerce health, beauty and wellness platform and social network designed to help Gen-Xers navigate their 50- and 60-something years. Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 16 Mar. 2024 That first segment’s endpoints, Merced and Bakersfield, have limited public transportation options; traveling to other destinations would require navigating slow transit questions, or accessing a car. Joe Mathews, The Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2024 That trend bodes well for prospective homebuyers navigating a housing market that remains unaffordable for many Americans. CBS News, 15 Mar. 2024 But her recent clashes with Trump may hinder her ability to navigate the party's dynamics moving forward. TIME, 7 Mar. 2024 Proficient in navigating the tax code and preparing various types of tax returns. Bryce Welker, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'navigate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin navigatus, past participle of navigare, from navis ship + -igare (from agere to drive) — more at agent

First Known Use

1588, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of navigate was in 1588

Dictionary Entries Near navigate

Cite this Entry

“Navigate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/navigate. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

navigate

verb
nav·​i·​gate ˈnav-ə-ˌgāt How to pronounce navigate (audio)
navigated; navigating
1
a
: to travel by water
b
: to sail over, on, or through
navigate the Atlantic Ocean
2
a
: to direct one's course in a ship or aircraft
b
: to control the course of : steer
3
: to make one's way about, over, or through
navigate the new website
navigate the school's halls

More from Merriam-Webster on navigate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!