1
a
: one employed to steer a ship : helmsman
b
: a person who is qualified and usually licensed to conduct a ship into and out of a port or in specified waters
c
: a person who flies or is qualified to fly an aircraft or spacecraft
3
4
: a piece that guides a tool or machine part
5
: a television show produced and filmed or taped as a sample of a proposed series
piloted; piloting; pilots
1
: to act as a guide to : lead or conduct over a usually difficult course
2
a
: to set and conn the course of
pilot a ship
b
: to act as pilot of
pilot a plane
: serving as a guiding or tracing device, an activating or auxiliary unit, or a trial apparatus or operation
a pilot study
Synonyms
Examples of pilot in a Sentence
Noun
the airline is seeking experienced pilots to fly the new airplane
Verb
He is learning how to pilot a helicopter.
He skillfully piloted the ship into port during the storm.
Adjective
The group conducted a pilot program.
a new pilot program to train inner-city residents for jobs in the tech sector
Recent Examples on the Web
Patrick Gomez, EW.com, 5 Apr. 2024
Los Angeles officials — eager to ease the city’s reliance on police officers for handling nonviolent mental health emergencies — have launched a new pilot program that sends unarmed civilians with training to respond to such calls.
—Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
This is the third time Boeing has failed to disclose a flight deck feature to 737 MAX pilots.
—Kris Van Cleave, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2024
The medical examiner’s report stems from the hot air balloon crash in Eloy, Arizona, on January 14 in which the pilot and three other people were killed.
—Eric Levenson, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
Republic Airways' non-management pilots are member of the Teamsters union, according to the lawsuit.
—Chris Sims, The Indianapolis Star, 4 Apr. 2024
The pilots issued a mayday, giving law enforcement enough time to stop traffic from crossing the bridge before the ship struck a support pylon, causing the whole structure to collapse.
—Chris Pandolfo, Fox News, 3 Apr. 2024
Hundreds of people have put their names on lists to flee Port-au-Prince by air, several pilots told CNN last week, when seats on private flights had price tags as high as $10,000.
—CNN, 24 Mar. 2024
Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 7 Apr. 2024
Both were rescued from the bay after the Piper, which Alysia Larson piloted, lost power and made an emergency landing, per NBC affiliate WJAR.
—David Chiu, Peoplemag, 1 Apr. 2024
During his explanation of the plan to nix pursuing the technology, Police Chief Christopher Bailey said the gunshot detection systems piloted in 2022 did not have a significant enough impact on gun crimes when weighed against the costly price tag.
—Sarah Nelson, The Indianapolis Star, 29 Mar. 2024
Southwest would first plan to pilot the overnight flights from both Las Vegas and Hawaii in their introduction of red-eyes.
—Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 25 Mar. 2024
Farmington chose to pilot the system because the basketball tournament was expected to attract more than 10,000 visitors to the arena, Pinkerton said via email.
—Marc Hayot, arkansasonline.com, 8 Mar. 2024
Scientists onboard a submarine piloted themselves through the depths of the South China Sea.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 25 Mar. 2024
In Michigan, Isle Royale National Park is piloting a project to use air-source heat pumps in staff housing and administrative buildings.
—Caitlin Looby, Journal Sentinel, 19 Mar. 2024
Best Buy has piloted smaller-format stores, which serve primarily as distribution centers.
—Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 18 Mar. 2024
Xander Zellner, Billboard, 31 Jan. 2024
Both Macdonald and Hsu were eyed for the pilot role that went to Polanco, but they were cast in later episodes.
—Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 June 2023
In a YouTube reaction video to the pilot episode of Sister Wives, the 21-year-old reality star called out the role her dad played in their family in response to Kody's now-ex Meri Brown discussing the advantages of a polygamous lifestyle.
—Stephanie Wenger, Peoplemag, 1 May 2023
This is the minimalist path Google, with its experimental store in New York, Amazon and its pilot retail outlets, and now Meta are attempting to replicate.
—Adario Strange, Quartz, 26 Apr. 2022
Carly helps a perfectionist chef with stage fright reopen his family’s diner, all for the pilot episode of her television show.
—Carrie Wittmer, Vulture, 25 Dec. 2022
Three and a half years ago, San Francisco started a pilot program to compel more people into treatment who met certain strict criteria.
—Mallory Moench, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Feb. 2023
One of those is a pilot program that would incentivize adults receiving unemployment benefits to earn their high school diploma by awarding them up to $4,000 for completing a diploma or equivalency program.
—Arika Herron, The Indianapolis Star, 4 Jan. 2023
Noun
Minear originally planned for Lucy (Arielle Kebbel) to be their helicopter pilot.
—Patrick Gomez, EW.com, 5 Apr. 2024
Los Angeles officials — eager to ease the city’s reliance on police officers for handling nonviolent mental health emergencies — have launched a new pilot program that sends unarmed civilians with training to respond to such calls.
—Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
This is the third time Boeing has failed to disclose a flight deck feature to 737 MAX pilots.
—Kris Van Cleave, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2024
The medical examiner’s report stems from the hot air balloon crash in Eloy, Arizona, on January 14 in which the pilot and three other people were killed.
—Eric Levenson, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
Republic Airways' non-management pilots are member of the Teamsters union, according to the lawsuit.
—Chris Sims, The Indianapolis Star, 4 Apr. 2024
The pilots issued a mayday, giving law enforcement enough time to stop traffic from crossing the bridge before the ship struck a support pylon, causing the whole structure to collapse.
—Chris Pandolfo, Fox News, 3 Apr. 2024
Hundreds of people have put their names on lists to flee Port-au-Prince by air, several pilots told CNN last week, when seats on private flights had price tags as high as $10,000.
—CNN, 24 Mar. 2024
Verb
Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports — whose drivers are piloting special ruby red Chevy Camaros as the team celebrates 40 years at Martinsville — won the pole position for today’s race, which is scheduled to green at 3:11 p.m.
—Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 7 Apr. 2024
Both were rescued from the bay after the Piper, which Alysia Larson piloted, lost power and made an emergency landing, per NBC affiliate WJAR.
—David Chiu, Peoplemag, 1 Apr. 2024
During his explanation of the plan to nix pursuing the technology, Police Chief Christopher Bailey said the gunshot detection systems piloted in 2022 did not have a significant enough impact on gun crimes when weighed against the costly price tag.
—Sarah Nelson, The Indianapolis Star, 29 Mar. 2024
Southwest would first plan to pilot the overnight flights from both Las Vegas and Hawaii in their introduction of red-eyes.
—Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 25 Mar. 2024
Farmington chose to pilot the system because the basketball tournament was expected to attract more than 10,000 visitors to the arena, Pinkerton said via email.
—Marc Hayot, arkansasonline.com, 8 Mar. 2024
Scientists onboard a submarine piloted themselves through the depths of the South China Sea.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 25 Mar. 2024
In Michigan, Isle Royale National Park is piloting a project to use air-source heat pumps in staff housing and administrative buildings.
—Caitlin Looby, Journal Sentinel, 19 Mar. 2024
Best Buy has piloted smaller-format stores, which serve primarily as distribution centers.
—Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 18 Mar. 2024
Adjective
The pilot episode of Hazbin Hotel was released in 2019 on YouTube, but the first season premiered on Jan. 18 on Amazon Prime.
—Xander Zellner, Billboard, 31 Jan. 2024
Both Macdonald and Hsu were eyed for the pilot role that went to Polanco, but they were cast in later episodes.
—Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 June 2023
In a YouTube reaction video to the pilot episode of Sister Wives, the 21-year-old reality star called out the role her dad played in their family in response to Kody's now-ex Meri Brown discussing the advantages of a polygamous lifestyle.
—Stephanie Wenger, Peoplemag, 1 May 2023
This is the minimalist path Google, with its experimental store in New York, Amazon and its pilot retail outlets, and now Meta are attempting to replicate.
—Adario Strange, Quartz, 26 Apr. 2022
Carly helps a perfectionist chef with stage fright reopen his family’s diner, all for the pilot episode of her television show.
—Carrie Wittmer, Vulture, 25 Dec. 2022
Three and a half years ago, San Francisco started a pilot program to compel more people into treatment who met certain strict criteria.
—Mallory Moench, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Feb. 2023
One of those is a pilot program that would incentivize adults receiving unemployment benefits to earn their high school diploma by awarding them up to $4,000 for completing a diploma or equivalency program.
—Arika Herron, The Indianapolis Star, 4 Jan. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pilot.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Pilot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pilot. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pilot
2 of 3 verb
: to act as pilot of : guide
pilot
3 of 3 adjective
: serving as a guiding or tracing device, as an activating or auxiliary unit, or to test a new invention or idea
a pilot study
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