navigable

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

Updated on: 5 Apr 2018

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 legislation would restrict the ability of private landowners to prohibit public access to navigable waters flowing over or through their land.

— shannon tompkins, Houston Chronicle, "Louisiana wrestles with fishing-access issues," 1 Apr. 2018
Easily navigable for visitors of all ages, the zoo’s attractions, in spacious surroundings, include lions, kangaroos, lemurs, river otters, sloth bears, and the zoo’s signature red pandas.

— loren king, BostonGlobe.com, "Attleboro not only rich with history but also with museums," 8 Mar. 2018
For one, the canal terminated just past present-day South Claiborne Avenue, with no navigable outlet.

— richard campanella, NOLA.com, "A canal in Central City? Little-known waterway once connected city to swamp," 6 Mar. 2018
An estimated 4 million additional acres of wetlands in the state are connected to navigable waterways and are regulated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

— patrick marley, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Assembly approves bill to allow more development of wetlands under state control," 15 Feb. 2018
Although this location lies more than a hundred miles inland, the Yangtze is navigable by seagoing vessels for up to a thousand miles.

— kyle mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "Is China Getting Ready To Test a Railgun?," 1 Feb. 2018
This is an irrationally optimistic gamble on a coaching change and a navigable early stretch of league play elevating the Beavers into one of the nation’s biggest surprises by midseason.

— the si staff, SI.com, "Which Teams That Won Two Games or Fewer in 2017 Will Make a Bowl This Year?," 22 Feb. 2018
With the inevitable reality of a navigable Arctic, nations are only beginning to analyze economic and military possibilities.

— joe pappalardo, Popular Mechanics, "The Big Machines Bringing Industry—and War—to the Melting Arctic," 3 Jan. 2018
Th Corps keeps the Cleveland Harbor and tributaries navigable by removing sediment from the mouth of the Cuyahoga River.

— stephen koff, cleveland.com, "What will Trump's budget mean for Ohio?," 12 Feb. 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

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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