navigation

noun

nav·​i·​ga·​tion ˌna-və-ˈgā-shən 

1

: the act or practice of navigating

2

: the science of getting vehicles from place to place

especially : the method of determining position, course, and distance traveled

3

: ship traffic or commerce

navigational

ˌna-və-ˈgā-sh(ə-)nəl 

adjective

navigationally adverb

Examples of navigation in a Sentence

If you're going to be a good sailor you need to master navigation.

I don't mind driving if you're willing to do the navigation.

Our new car has an onboard navigation system.

Navigation becomes more difficult further upriver.

There are back and forward buttons for easier browser navigation.

Recent Examples on the Web

Some have been Ukrainian drones knocked off course by Russian electronic warfare, such as the jamming of navigation signals, which can make their flight paths unpredictable and complicate decisions about whether and where to shoot them down. — Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2026

The Shahed-136 follows pre-programmed navigation after launch and then dives into the target with its explosive warhead. — Abhishek Bhardwaj, Interesting Engineering, 14 Aug. 2026

More Deals on Gaming Mice For silent navigation, the Logitech Silent Wireless Mouse reduces click sounds by over 90% without sacrificing tactile feel. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 13 Aug. 2026

To test the idea in living animals, Losonczy’s team used new voltage-imaging technology to record activity from parts of individual neurons in mice’s hippocampi, a brain region involved in memory and navigation. — Ajdina Halilovic, Scientific American, 13 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1547, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing navigation

• celestial navigation
• inertial navigation

Rhymes for navigation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

Kids Definition

navigation

noun

nav·​i·​ga·​tion ˌnav-ə-ˈgā-shən 

1

: the act or practice of navigating

2

: the science of getting ships, aircraft, or spacecraft from place to place

especially : the method of figuring out position, course, and distance traveled

navigational

-shnəl 

-shən-ᵊl

adjective