Definition of circumnavigatenext
1
as in to traverse
to travel completely around the first ship to circumnavigate the globe

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to bypass
to avoid by going around we can circumnavigate the traffic jam if we take the next exit

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of circumnavigate The Apollo 8 photo, however, showed Earth reemerging into view, rather than disappearing, as astronauts Bill Anders, Frank Borman and Jim Lovell circumnavigated the moon. Denise Chow, NBC news, 7 Apr. 2026 During the 1969 Apollo 10 mission — the one in which Thomas Stafford, John Young and Eugene Cernan circumnavigated the moon — Stafford reported back to mission control on Day 6 of the mission that a piece of waste was floating through the cabin, according to once-confidential government documents. Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2026 Four are named in honor of different Miami Dolphins players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame that circumnavigate South Florida – the DCC 5K along with the Dan Marino, Larry Csonka, Zach Thomas and Jason Tyler Rides. Steven Yablonski, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026 Superpressure balloons can last for months and travel long distances, potentially circumnavigating the globe, all the while reporting their position. IEEE Spectrum, 31 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for circumnavigate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circumnavigate
Verb
  • Thursday saw the highest number of vessels traversing the strait since April, according to marine intelligence firm AXSMarine.
    Caitlin Danaher, CNN Money, 20 June 2026
  • While the Deschutes River Trail makes traversing the area particularly leisurely, travelers can take advantage of Veo, a bike-sharing program that makes getting around quick and fun.
    Sierra Vandervort, Travel + Leisure, 20 June 2026
Verb
  • As fans leave Miami Stadium following World Cup matches, many are finding a way to bypass heavy gridlock by utilizing a free, county-run shuttle system.
    Abby Dodge, CBS News, 25 June 2026
  • The stern warning underscores Tehran's resolve to retain control over the Strait of Hormuz and to resist transits that bypass its authorization.
    Anniek Bao, CNBC, 25 June 2026
Verb
  • Night is falling in Altadena as bats circle, peacocks wail and photographer Kevin Cooley tries to capture what’s left of a tree.
    Marah Eakin, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2026
  • Caglianone circled the bases for the sixth time in his last five games.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 24 June 2026
Verb
  • In the days before Lutnick’s previous decision to force the models offline, senior administration officials became increasingly concerned that users could circumvent Fable 5’s guardrails.
    Jared Perlo, NBC news, 27 June 2026
  • The clearance eases a confrontation that erupted two weeks ago when the government abruptly barred Anthropic from giving foreign nationals access to Mythos 5 and a related model, Fable 5, over fears that security guardrails could be circumvented.
    Josh Wingrove, Fortune, 27 June 2026
Verb
  • The administration's other telescopic projects include SPHEREx, which launched in 2025 with the goal of conducting a widespread infrared spectral survey of the sky, and the James Webb Space Telescope, which launched in 2021 and now orbits the sun with a distance of one million miles from Earth.
    Eleanor Jacobs, PEOPLE, 21 June 2026
  • The power race is moving to orbit.
    Brigitte Bren, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2026
Verb
  • To avoid a deluge of applications from every theater in America, Cockrum decided to make grants by invitation.
    Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 28 June 2026
  • Refrain from entering water that may have electricity in it and avoid walking through floodwaters.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 28 June 2026
Verb
  • Lend your home a bohemian touch with Safavieh’s rug encircled with jute medallions.
    Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 26 June 2026
  • Cheers roared from the crowd encircling the concrete arena as two skateboarders slammed into each other at top speed.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 25 June 2026
Verb
  • The vehicle was first detected traveling through Washington Heights, then flagged a second time about 10 minutes later crossing the University Heights Bridge.
    Jenna DeAngelis, CBS News, 22 June 2026
  • Since formally leaving the EU, those same potatoes must now pass customs checks and health inspections before being allowed to even cross the border into France.
    Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 22 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Circumnavigate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circumnavigate. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.

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