navigable

adjective

nav·​i·​ga·​ble ˈna-vi-gə-bəl 

1

a

: deep enough and wide enough to afford passage to ships

navigable waterways

b

: capable of being navigated

navigable terrain

2

: capable of being steered

navigability

ˌna-vi-gə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

navigably

ˈna-vi-gə-blē 

adverb

Synonyms of navigable

• cleared
• clear
• passable
• negotiable

Examples of navigable in a Sentence

The marsh was navigable only by canoe.

this map shows which rivers are navigable and which aren't

Recent Examples on the Web

The strait is a critical export route for Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest crude exporter, and has remained largely navigable throughout the war. — Jomana Karadsheh, CNN Money, 21 July 2026

Humans need transparency and trust in what the AI just did for them; agents need a predictable, machine-navigable structure. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

Lake Titicaca—the largest freshwater lake in South America and the highest navigable lake in the world—sits at 12,507 feet, while La Raya reaches more than 14,000 feet. — Susmita Baral, Travel + Leisure, 17 July 2026

This begs the important question of what constitutes a navigable waterway. — Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 1 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

navigable

adjective

nav·​i·​ga·​ble ˈnav-i-gə-bəl 

1

a

: deep and wide enough to permit passage to ships

navigable rivers

b

: capable of being navigated

navigable terrain

2

: capable of being steered

a navigable balloon

navigability

ˌnav-i-gə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun