navigate

verb

nav·i·gate | \ ˈna-və-ˌgāt

navigated; navigating

Definition of navigate

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

1a : 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

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

b : to operate or control the course of navigate an airplane

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about navigate

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Synonyms for navigate

Synonyms

conn (also con), helm, pilot, steer

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 on the Web

How Microsoft navigates the Windows 7 rapids could mean the difference between smooth sailing and users abandoning ship. — Mark Hachman, PCWorld, "Windows 7 will use pop-ups to warn users of the operating system's impending death," 12 Mar. 2019 In between dancing with drag queens and selfies with fans at the event, Grande opened up about how his family celebrates Christmas, his most memorable childhood present, and how to navigate the holidays when going home can feel a little complicated. — Danny Murphy, Seventeen, "Frankie Grande On His Christmas Tradition with Ariana and How To Handle The Holidays As An LGBTQ+ Teen," 18 Dec. 2018 How did Sater know how to navigate the criminal underworld? — Alex Ward, Vox, "Felix Sater, the spy, criminal, and mafia-linked business executive tied to Trump, explained," 6 Dec. 2018 Viewers will learn how to navigate funding, launching, and client acquisition. — Allison Hagan, BostonGlobe.com, "Weekend agenda," 12 July 2018 Peterson wonders, earnestly, how people navigate the legal system who don’t have millions of dollars at their disposal. — Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, "The Queasy Verdict of The Staircase," 26 June 2018 The day is likely to serve as a masterclass in royal etiquette for Meghan, who will get to see how Britain's longest-reigning monarch navigates these more mundane events, which are a staple part of life as a working royal. — Lauren Said-moorhouse, CNN, "Meghan Markle joins the Queen for joint royal outing," 14 June 2018 Dolomite Mountains, the local company behind the structured ski safari, takes care of complicated details, and employs UIAGM/IFMGA certified mountain guides to navigate the zig-zagging itinerary. — Amy Tara Koch, Vogue, "The Slopes Less Taken: Going on a Ski Safari in the Dolomites," 7 Mar. 2019 Now that Wasser is reportedly handling the divorce of Lauren Sanchez and Patrick Whitesell, her thoughts on how best to navigate high-profile, big-money splits seem necessary to revisit. — Laura Wasser, Town & Country, "How Laura Wasser Handles Divorce," 8 Feb. 2019

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.