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

How to Get Around The old town of Villefranche-sur-Mer, with its concentration of visitor attractions and restaurants, is easy to walk around—in fact, some streets are only navigable on foot. —Chrissie McClatchie, Travel + Leisure, 21 Apr. 2026

Threat-space becomes meaningfully navigable and decision-making pleasurable. —Simon Denny, Artforum, 20 Apr. 2026

Other examples include requiring captioning for videos and making a computer navigable without a mouse, for people with motor disabilities. —Jonaki Mehta, NPR, 6 Apr. 2026

Europe turned inward, with trade currents mostly running along navigable rivers. —Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 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