1
as in circling
to travel completely around
the first ship to circumnavigate the globe
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in bypassing
to avoid by going around
we can circumnavigate the traffic jam if we take the next exit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of circumnavigating
The countdown clock is officially rolling at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where four astronauts are preparing to take off on the mission of a lifetime — circumnavigating the moon and returning humans to deep space for the first time in five decades as part of Artemis II.
—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
31 Mar. 2026
Superpressure balloons can last for months and travel long distances, potentially circumnavigating the globe, all the while reporting their position.
—
IEEE Spectrum,
31 Jan. 2026
Two hundred seventy-two miles of scenery are signposted by pretty blue and orange ribbons circumnavigating the island, representing the ocean and those ubiquitous mandarins.
—
Gary Shteyngart,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Nov. 2023
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
31 Mar. 2026
Superpressure balloons can last for months and travel long distances, potentially circumnavigating the globe, all the while reporting their position.
—
IEEE Spectrum,
31 Jan. 2026
Two hundred seventy-two miles of scenery are signposted by pretty blue and orange ribbons circumnavigating the island, representing the ocean and those ubiquitous mandarins.
—
Gary Shteyngart,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Nov. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circumnavigating
Verb
-
Variety has learned that Mubi is pursuing the film, with Neon also possibly circling.
-
Other wearable tech companies have been circling this space.
Verb
-
The purpose of the 34 mile pipeline from Middletown to Montville is to increase pressure in the existing distribution system and enable the company to continue gas service in the event of a failure by bypassing the trouble spot.
-
Fiber-optic, first-person view (FPV) drones have become a key weapon in the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah’s war against Israel in recent months – bypassing Israel’s sophisticated defense systems by duplicating an asymmetric warfare tactic that first emerged in the Russia-Ukraine war.
Verb
-
Known for traversing the comedy club scene throughout the Big Apple, the stand-up artist is taking her talents on the road for the remainder of the year as part of a cross-country tour.
-
Every year, about 90% of Central Oregon’s Deschutes River disappears into networks of canals and pipes traversing high desert.
Verb
-
Australia doubled the maximum penalty imposed on social media companies that fail to comply with the ban on under-16 users, as evidence grew that children are circumventing restrictions.
-
Another means of circumventing the protection of the real property company is through veil piercing using an alter ego theory.
Verb
-
For a generation of millennial founders and the professionals orbiting them, the most consequential business development of the year is happening nowhere near an office, a conference badge, or a LinkedIn message.
-
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has been probing for atmospheres around other rocky worlds orbiting red dwarfs, such as those in the TRAPPIST-1 system.
Verb
-
While technical expertise is crucial, successfully landing remote AI jobs also requires strategic searching, understanding employer terminology, and avoiding scams.
-
Petrakakos said arrangements around possible tolls or coordination with Iran remain largely ad hoc, with most shipping companies avoiding direct engagement because of sanctions risk.
Verb
-
Cheers roared from the crowd encircling the concrete arena as two skateboarders slammed into each other at top speed.
-
Styled by Brad Goreski, Moore wore a custom cobalt blue Self Portrait gown with an oversized bow encircling the hips, falling into a train.
Verb
-
Prosecutors said the children were then transported to El Paso after crossing the border.
-
Hopes have risen that crude supplies will improve markedly with the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that’s key for the world’s oil transport, even though the number of ships crossing the strait is still limited.
Cite this Entry
“Circumnavigating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circumnavigating. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
