as in pilot
one who flies or is qualified to fly an aircraft or spacecraft
the solo flight from New York to Paris by the aviator Charles Lindbergh captured the imagination of people around the world
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Recent Examples of aviator
The American military was scrambling to find the second aviator after official and semiofficial Iranian news organizations reported that a regional governor had offered a bounty for its crew.
—
Dennis Romero, NBC news, 5 Apr. 2026
Axiom Space’s Director of Human Spaceflight and former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson is the mission commander with aviator John Shoffner as pilot and two mission specialist seats paid for by the Saudi Space Commission, Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali AlQarni.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2026
Her easy jeans and beachy aviators give the polished jacket and bag a more casual feel.
—Katherine J Igoe, InStyle, 3 Apr. 2026
In an interview with Nashville’s WKRN News, the singer shrugged off the ongoing Army investigation of the aviators involved in the unauthorized flight, suggesting that the pilots have nothing to be worried about.
—Annie Harrigan, Billboard, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for aviator
Dennis Romero, NBC news, 5 Apr. 2026
Axiom Space’s Director of Human Spaceflight and former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson is the mission commander with aviator John Shoffner as pilot and two mission specialist seats paid for by the Saudi Space Commission, Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali AlQarni.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2026
Her easy jeans and beachy aviators give the polished jacket and bag a more casual feel.
—Katherine J Igoe, InStyle, 3 Apr. 2026
In an interview with Nashville’s WKRN News, the singer shrugged off the ongoing Army investigation of the aviators involved in the unauthorized flight, suggesting that the pilots have nothing to be worried about.
—Annie Harrigan, Billboard, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for aviator
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aviator
pilot
Noun
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Military aircraft contain emergency locator beacons that transmit automatically after a crash or after pilots eject.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
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The county changed its stance with new regulations in December that allowed ultralight access within certain guidelines, which pilots have claimed are overly-restrictive and cost-prohibitive for hobbyists who fly the relatively inexpensive aircraft.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacbee.com,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Aviator.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aviator. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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