Synonyms of navigate

navigate

verb

ˈna-və-ˌgāt 

1

as in to steer

to operate or control the course of

the hours of training that are required before a student pilot is allowed to navigate an airplane solo

Synonyms & Similar Words

• steer
• pilot
• helm
• hijack
• conn
• commandeer

2

as in to sail

to travel on water in a vessel

the months that were once required to navigate around South America in the days before the Panama Canal

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sail
• boat
• voyage
• ship (out)
• ferry
• cruise
• take ship
• make sail
• yacht
• coast
• kayak
• canoe

3

as in to traverse

to make one's way through, across, or over

it will take some effort to navigate that stretch of hills, but we can do it

Synonyms & Similar Words

• traverse
• cross
• follow
• walk
• travel
• track
• cover
• pass (over)
• course
• transit
• cut (across)
• go
• proceed (along)
• ride
• hike
• perambulate
• peregrinate
• tread
• traipse
• run
• tramp
• crisscross

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of navigate

But Mills said Huma, following his experience with Northwestern, had come to doubt that college athletes would be able to navigate the legal and institutional hurdles required to form a collective bargaining unit. — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 24 Sep. 2026

Colleges are rethinking training for computer science students Watching students navigate job searches has been hard for Nicholas Mattei, an associate computer science professor at Tulane. — Heather Hollingsworth, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026

Meanwhile, Xi is navigating an uneven Chinese economy — one in which its domestic economy is struggling while its high tech exports remain strong. — Aamer Madhani, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026

Boeing has become a wait-and-see story as management navigates these challenges, just over two years into CEO Kelly Ortberg's turnaround plan. — Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2026