navigate

verb nav·i·gate \ ˈna-və-ˌgāt \

|Updated on: 12 Jul 2018

Examples: navigate in a Sentence

Definition of navigate

navigated; navigating

intransitive verb

1 : to travel by water : sail

navigated down to the mouth of the river

2 : to steer a course through a medium; specifically : to operate an airplane

navigate by instrument

3 : get around, move

was well enough to navigate under his own power

transitive verb

1 a : to sail over, on, or through

able to navigate the deep ocean waters

b : to make one's way over or through : traverse

… navigate the Internet via hypertext links connecting information-rich computers around the world.
—Stephanie Losee

2 a : to steer or manage (a boat) in sailing

b : to operate or control the course of

navigate an airplane

See navigate defined for English-language learners

See navigate defined for kids

Examples of navigate in a Sentence

For thousands of years, sailors navigated by the stars.
How about if you drive and I navigate?
I'd need a map to navigate the city.
Only flat-bottomed boats can safely navigate the canal.
He has learned to navigate in rough waters.
The downtown area is easily navigated on foot.
She has trouble navigating the stairs with her crutches.
It took us 10 minutes to navigate through the parking lot to the exit.
The captain navigated the ship.
He has had experience navigating airplanes through storms.

Recent Examples of navigate from the Web

Soon after, Laughren left the agency and formed a consultancy to help psychiatric drug makers, including AstraZeneca, navigate FDA approvals.

— charles piller, Science | AAAS, "FDA’s revolving door: Companies often hire agency staffers who managed their successful drug reviews," 5 July 2018
The infotainment system isn't on the level of Audi, BMW, or Volvo, the infotainment display is positioned a bit oddly, and navigating to some of the settings on the instrument-panel display can be irritating.

— eric bangeman, Ars Technica, "A sports car in SUV clothing: The Jaguar E-Pace reviewed," 28 June 2018
Lovin started the blog to stay in touch with family and friends; her first posts are full of wonderment about New York, navigating the subway, going to a baseball game, seeing the lights lit up for the four-year anniversary of 9/11.

— lydia kiesling, The Cut, "The Evolution of a Mormon Mommy Blogger," 27 June 2018
While one group may be just getting started financially, the other could be fine economically but concerned about the ability to maintain a big house and yard and navigate stairs now or in the future, real estate professionals says.

— paul gores, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Millennials, baby boomers are in the market for the same homes," 25 June 2018
Click on the Nook disc and navigate to the My Nook > My files > Books folder on your Nook device 6.

— Scientific American, "How do I read eBooks on my Nook?," 21 June 2018
But navigating through the Mountain West won’t be easy. 7.

— paul myerberg, USA TODAY, "Who will be this year's Central Florida in college football? It could be Central Florida," 15 May 2018
In any case, Kawhi is another situation to monitor for the next three months, and navigating these waters will be the biggest test Colangelo's management team has had since coming to Philadelphia.

— andrew sharp, SI.com, "The Sixers and a Summer Full of Questions," 10 May 2018
Web skills, email, navigating Windows, and other computer basics will be a part of the class.

— quoron walker, Courant Community, "Manchester Adult And Continuing Education Invites Public To Open House," 1 May 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of navigate

Latin navigatus, past participle of navigare, from navis ship + -igare (from agere to drive) — more at agent

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1588

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

navigate Synonyms

Synonyms

course, cover, cross, cut (across), follow, go, pass (over), perambulate, peregrinate, proceed (along), track, transit, travel, traverse;

Related Words

hike, traipse, tramp, tread, walk;

ride, run;

crisscross;

Other Nautical Terms

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

NAVIGATE Defined for English Language Learners

navigate

verb

Definition of navigate for English Language Learners

: to find the way to get to a place when you are traveling in a ship, airplane, car, etc.
: to sail on, over, or through an area of water
: to travel on, over, or through (an area or place)