traverse

1 of 3

verb

tra·​verse trə-ˈvərs 

 also  tra-ˈvərs,

or

ˈtra-(ˌ)vərs 

traversed; traversing

transitive verb

1

a

: to go or travel across or over

b

: to move or pass along or through

light rays traversing a crystal

2

: to make a study of : examine

3

: to lie or extend across : cross

the bridge traverses a brook

4

a

: to move to and fro over or along

b

: to ascend, descend, or cross (a slope or gap) at an angle

c

: to move (a gun) to right or left on a pivot

5

a

: to go against or act in opposition to : oppose, thwart

b

: to deny (something, such as an allegation of fact or an indictment) formally at law

6

: to make or carry out a survey of by using traverses

intransitive verb

1

: to move back and forth or from side to side

2

: to move or turn laterally : swivel

3

a

: to climb at an angle or in a zigzag course

b

: to ski across rather than straight down a hill

4

: to make a survey by using traverses

traversable

trə-ˈvər-sə-bəl 

 also  tra-ˈvər-

 or  ˈtra-(ˌ)vər-

adjective

traverser noun

traverse

2 of 3

noun

tra·​verse ˈtra-vərs 

 also  -ˌvərs,

especially for senses 6 and 8 also

trə-ˈvərs 

 or  tra-ˈvərs

1

: something that crosses or lies across

2

: obstacle, adversity

3

: a formal denial of a matter of fact alleged by the opposing party in a legal pleading

4

a

: a compartment or recess formed by a partition, curtain, or screen

b

: a gallery or loft providing access from one side to another in a large building

5

: a route or way across or over: such as

a

: a zigzag course of a sailing ship with contrary winds

b

: a curving or zigzag way up a steep grade

c

: the course followed in traversing

6

: the act or an instance of traversing : crossing

7

: a protective projecting wall or bank of earth in a trench

8

a

: a lateral movement (as of the saddle of a lathe carriage)

also : a device for imparting such movement

b

: the lateral movement of a gun about a pivot or on a carriage to change direction of fire

9

: a line surveyed across a plot of ground

traverse

3 of 3

adjective

tra·​verse ˈtra-(ˌ)vərs  trə-ˈvərs 

tra-ˈvərs

: lying across : transverse

Synonyms

Verb

• cross
• navigate
• follow
• walk
• travel

Examples of traverse in a Sentence

Verb

The candidates traversed the state throughout the campaign.

The river traverses the county.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The scene was more amusing than threatening — onlookers whipped out cell phone cameras to document the sight of horses traversing the grounds. —Jim Newton, Mercury News, 12 July 2025

Created by the brand’s in-house team, the campaign features Zhao traversing the great outdoors, lush mountains, and cityscapes, eventually fleeing to the moon, all rendered via cutout paper collages. —Denni Hu, Footwear News, 9 July 2025

Noun

Outside of the classroom, Joan is a skilled musician whose performances traverse genres and venues. —Jennifer Pierce, USA Today, 7 May 2025

Our money is on the ten-mile round-trip Alum Cave Trail, with highlights including a hike-through rock arch, the cliffy overhang of Alum Cave Bluffs, and narrow ledges to traverse (equipped with metal cables to grab for stability). —Elisabeth Kwak-Hefferan, Outside Online, 6 June 2025

Adjective

Past, present, and eternity converge in the frescoes, where celestial themes coexist alongside secular and quotidian narratives, resonating with Mirga-Tas’s proclivity to traverse space and time. —Melissa Harris, Artforum, 10 July 2025

There’s also the challenge of power and energy: The robots need to be quick and energy-efficient to meet the endurance requirements and traverse multiple kilometers per hour in extreme environments. —Edward Terry, IEEE Spectrum, 16 Nov. 2020

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French traverser, from Late Latin transversare, from Latin transversus

Noun

Middle English travers, from Anglo-French travers (as in a travers, de travers across), from Latin transversum (as in in transversum set crosswise), neuter of transversus lying across; senses 5–9 in part from traverse entry 1 — more at transverse entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 5a

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing traverse

• traverse jury
• traverse rod

Kids Definition

traverse

1 of 3 noun

trav·​erse

ˈtra-vərs

1

: something that crosses or lies across

2

: a curved or zigzag path along the face of a steep slope

3

: the act or an instance of traversing

stopped to rest in their traverse of the mountain

traverse

2 of 3 verb

tra·​verse trə-ˈvərs 

traversed; traversing

1

: to go against : oppose

2

a

: to pass through, across, or over

traversed the historic fields

b

: to lie or extend across

a bridge traverses the river

3

: to make a study of : examine

4

: to move back and forth or from side to side

pedestrians traversing the busy intersection

5

: to climb or ski at an angle or in a zigzag course

traverse

3 of 3 adjective

trav·​erse

ˈtra-(ˌ)vərs,

trə-ˈvərs

: lying across : transverse

Legal Definition

traverse

1 of 2 noun

tra·​verse ˈtra-ˌvərs, trə-ˈvərs 

: a denial of a matter of fact alleged in the opposing party's pleadings

also : a pleading in which such a denial is made

traverse

2 of 2 transitive verb

tra·​verse trə-ˈvərs, ˈtra-ˌvərs 

: to deny (as an allegation of fact or an indictment) in a legal proceeding

Etymology

Transitive verb

Anglo-French traverser, literally, to lay across, bar, impede, from Old French, from Late Latin transversare to cross, from Latin transversus lying across