navigable

adjective nav·i·ga·ble \ ˈna-vi-gə-bəl \

|Updated on: 13 Jun 2018

Examples: navigable in a Sentence

Definition of navigable

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

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navigability

play \ˌna-vi-gə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

—

navigably

play \ˈna-vi-gə-blē\ adverb

See navigable defined for English-language learners

See navigable defined for kids

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 of navigable from the Web

The navigable group and last 16 tie means the final eight are a distinct possibility and should be what Southgate and his men are aiming for, without getting overly cocky.

— SI.com, "2018 FIFA World Cup Team Preview: Analysing England's Chances at the Tournament," 5 June 2018
That process is financially benefiting the state under an old law that grants the state government the rights to oil and gas deep below navigable waters, including coastlines where erosion has converted land to water.

— sara sneath, NOLA.com, "As Louisiana's coast washes away, state cashing in on disputed oil and gas rights," 31 May 2018
Set in Tarpon Point Marina and near over 400 miles of navigable canals and waterways, this is a serene location for kayaking, paddle boarding and sunset cruises.

— jessica colley clarke, New York Times, "Four Great Resorts With Vacation Packages for the Fourth of July," 28 May 2018
The US Coast Guard enforced a Lava Entry Safety Zone Sunday for the navigable waters around the Kilauea Volcano.

— madison park, CNN, "More eruptions from Kilauea are possible, but laze and lava are the biggest hazards right now," 21 May 2018
Broidy's campaign to alter U.S. policy in the Middle East and reap a fortune for himself shows that one of the president's top money men found the swamp as navigable as ever with Trump in office.

— desmond butler and tom lobianco, chicagotribune.com, "AP: Emails reveal secret lobbying effort to alter U.S. policy in Middle East," 21 May 2018
Launched in 2016 as an expansionist reboot of NRA News, NRATV is a free, very well-designed, and smoothly navigable video-streaming website sponsored mainly by gun and ammunition manufacturers—Mossberg, Smith & Wesson, Sig Sauer.

— james parker, The Atlantic, "Live-Streaming the Apocalypse With NRATV," 5 May 2018
Take as an example money for the Army Corps of Engineers to dredge waterways so water flows or harbors stay navigable and free of debris or sediment.

— stephen koff, cleveland.com, "If your mortgage was underwater in 2017, Congress may have just provided help: a Q&A on the big budget bill," 9 Feb. 2018
The ordinance placed less of an emphasis on parking needs, Shattuck said, choosing instead to support dense residential areas by making them easily navigable on foot or by transit.

— matthew ormseth, Courant Community, "Hartford Named A 'Walk Friendly' City For Making It Easier To Get Around On Foot," 26 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'navigable.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of navigable

15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

navigable Synonyms

Other Nautical Terms

avast, aweigh, flotsam, jib, keel, lee, port, starboard, stay

NAVIGABLE Defined for English Language Learners

navigable

adjective

Definition of navigable for English Language Learners

: deep and wide enough for boats and ships to travel on or through : capable of being navigated

NAVIGABLE Defined for Kids

navigable

adjective nav·i·ga·ble \ ˈna-vi-gə-bəl \

Definition of navigable for Students

1 : deep enough and wide enough to permit passage of ships

a navigable river

2 : possible to steer

a navigable balloon

—

navigability

\ˌna-vi-gə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

Learn More about navigable

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for navigable Spanish Central: Translation of navigable Nglish: Translation of navigable for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of navigable for Arabic speakers

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navigable

Definition of navigable

navigability

navigably

Examples of navigable in a Sentence

Recent Examples of navigable from the Web

First Known Use of navigable

navigable Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

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Other Nautical Terms

NAVIGABLE Defined for English Language Learners

navigable

Definition of navigable for English Language Learners

NAVIGABLE Defined for Kids

navigable

Definition of navigable for Students

navigability

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