1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

nautical

adjective

ˈnȯ-ti-kəl How to pronounce nautical (audio)
Definition of nauticalnext
as in navigational
of or relating to navigation of the sea collected sextants and other antique nautical equipment

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 nautical To the designers, Americana style (and its coastal, cottage, and nautical offshoots) is homey, filled with timeworn textures, and rooted in nostalgia. — Kathy Barnes, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Sep. 2026 Style them with wide-leg jeans and a striped tee to lean into the nautical look, or dress them up with a mini skirt and a crewneck sweater. — Mariana Best, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2026 Newlight has completed an 8,500-nautical-mile commercial voyage using its hydrogen-hybrid system aboard a Lomar Shipping bulk carrier. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026 When these modern ships rotate in the turning basin – the nautical equivalent of a three-point turn – there is often less than 150 feet of clearance between each side of the estuary, according to the Port of Oakland. — Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for nautical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nautical
  1. navigational
  2. naval
  3. marine
  4. maritime
Adjective
  • It was created in Europe as a navigational tool, with the longitudes and latitudes structured in such a way that ships could get from one place to another.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2026
  • The plane overran runway 30 on landing, struck navigational aids and hit a 2012 white Ford Econoline van owned by the Professional Ocean Service Corporation, a contract cleaning company for the airlines, Homendy said.
    — Steven Yablonski, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of navigational
Adjective
  • The carrier’s return also highlights the continuing importance of maintenance and modernization in keeping large naval vessels operational decades after their commissioning.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The Houthis declared their ceasefire with Saudi Arabia over that day, struck the airport of the Saudi city of Abha within hours and announced a naval blockade a week later.
    — Mahad D. Darar, The Conversation, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of naval
Adjective
  • Anyone who encounters a dead or stranded marine mammal is urged to leave the animal alone and immediately report the sighting to local wildlife authorities or the Marine Mammal Stranding Network.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The former trainer has seen the world’s marine parks and the laws that govern them change for the better since starting Dolphin Project decades ago, but the fight isn’t over for him or his son.
    — Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of marine
Adjective
  • Sisi's office said the meeting, attended by Egypt's spy chief Hassan Rashad, included discussion of the wars in Iran, the Gaza Strip and Sudan, as well as attacks on Gulf countries and threats to maritime security.
    — Tucker Reals, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2026
  • The Houthis have also seized two strategic islands in the southern Red Sea, bolstering the rebels’ ability to disrupt a key maritime shipping route.
    — Aamer Madhani, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of maritime

Browse Nearby Words

nauseousness
nautical
naval
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nautical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nautical. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of nemesis

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
crayons-in-a-circle
Guess the Color Quiz Questions that use the whole box of crayons.
See All