as in steering
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1
as in guiding
to give advice and instruction to (someone) regarding the course or process to be followed
piloted the figure skater through the national championships
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in conducting
to point out the way for (someone) especially from a position in front
the lead rider piloted the rest of the team
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in navigating
to operate or control the course of
managed to pilot the plane to safety despite the failure of the left engine
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of piloting
Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2026
Qu said the company sees it as a hobby-grade product aimed at users who want a closer approximation of real piloting.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 9 Jan. 2026
Give Charlotte credit for a forward-thinking move rather than auto-piloting into his next contract, but the short-term consequence is that there are no qualified starting centers here.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
With Kinta piloting, and Momo’s psychic powers fused with Aira’s hair abilities, the group makes a desperate attempt to shift the battle in their favor.
—Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2025
Next comes some fancy piloting, the detachment of the thrusters, and then the scavenger ship is effectively so much deadweight in space, at least for now.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 14 Aug. 2025
Given its long range and the high likelihood of operating in an environment compromised by electronic warfare system, the Liutyi is not designed for remote piloting.
—Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
This phase, Spinnova said, marks the shift from piloting to consistent, high-quality manufacturing.
—Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 10 Apr. 2026
The community is one of a handful piloting a program to help houses survive wildfires.
—Lauren Sommer, NPR, 10 Apr. 2026
California state employees, meanwhile, are piloting Poppy, a generative AI tool that can produce executive summaries, retrieve data for reports and audits and automate technical processes.
—Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2026
Healey’s office says the DTA will begin piloting the program later this year.
—Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 6 Apr. 2026
Later Saturday, Wiseman and Glover planned to take a turn at manually piloting the Orion capsule to help engineers better understand how the spacecraft performs in flight and to provide hands-on feedback for future Artemis astronauts.
—William Harwood, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2026
After separating from the upper stage, the Artemis II crew carried out a manual piloting demo to test Orion’s handling qualities using the ICPS (interim cryogenic propulsion stage) as a docking target.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 3 Apr. 2026
Announced ahead of the film's release, Glen Powell voices Fox McCloud, the spaceship-piloting fox first introduced in the 1993 adventure game Star Fox.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Apr. 2026
Noun
At the end of the day, the crew will try out Orion’s manual piloting capability by steering the spacecraft through a variety of tasks.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2026
Qu said the company sees it as a hobby-grade product aimed at users who want a closer approximation of real piloting.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 9 Jan. 2026
Give Charlotte credit for a forward-thinking move rather than auto-piloting into his next contract, but the short-term consequence is that there are no qualified starting centers here.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
With Kinta piloting, and Momo’s psychic powers fused with Aira’s hair abilities, the group makes a desperate attempt to shift the battle in their favor.
—Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2025
Next comes some fancy piloting, the detachment of the thrusters, and then the scavenger ship is effectively so much deadweight in space, at least for now.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 14 Aug. 2025
Given its long range and the high likelihood of operating in an environment compromised by electronic warfare system, the Liutyi is not designed for remote piloting.
—Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Verb
This included troubleshooting the capsule’s space toilet (multiple times), piloting the spacecraft by hand, and testing procedures such as sheltering from solar radiation in the cargo locker.
—Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
This phase, Spinnova said, marks the shift from piloting to consistent, high-quality manufacturing.
—Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 10 Apr. 2026
The community is one of a handful piloting a program to help houses survive wildfires.
—Lauren Sommer, NPR, 10 Apr. 2026
California state employees, meanwhile, are piloting Poppy, a generative AI tool that can produce executive summaries, retrieve data for reports and audits and automate technical processes.
—Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2026
Healey’s office says the DTA will begin piloting the program later this year.
—Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 6 Apr. 2026
Later Saturday, Wiseman and Glover planned to take a turn at manually piloting the Orion capsule to help engineers better understand how the spacecraft performs in flight and to provide hands-on feedback for future Artemis astronauts.
—William Harwood, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2026
After separating from the upper stage, the Artemis II crew carried out a manual piloting demo to test Orion’s handling qualities using the ICPS (interim cryogenic propulsion stage) as a docking target.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 3 Apr. 2026
Announced ahead of the film's release, Glen Powell voices Fox McCloud, the spaceship-piloting fox first introduced in the 1993 adventure game Star Fox.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piloting
Noun
-
Panther is equipped with an omnidirectional, four-wheel-steering, four-wheel-drive (4WS+4WD) chassis, enabling agile movement and stable operation in complex indoor environments.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Unlike Tesla’s system, but just like the Lexus setup, there’s only 180 degrees of steering input.—
Joel Feder,
The Drive,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But Avalon Waterways has culinary cruises that amp it up a notch with samples of regional cuisine, demonstrations, special dinners, and a Master of Wine on board guiding wine and food pairings and tastings.—
Beth Luberecki,
USA Today,
11 Apr. 2026
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Crews will continue to work into the night securing the capsule and guiding it back to the Murtha, which is expected to reach Naval Base San Diego early Saturday.—
Noah Haggerty,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Shortly after creating the portal, both Healey and Campbell publicly expressed support for using information collected through the portal to prosecute federal agents conducting immigration enforcement operations in Massachusetts.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Kennedy Center leadership is conducting tours with congressional staff and donors to demonstrate that the building needs major renovation due to water damage, HVAC issues and deteriorating infrastructure.—
Steven Sloan,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In the days since a deadly shooting at Piedmont Park claimed the life of 16-year-old Tianah Robinson, her family has been left navigating an unimaginable grief—one now shared with a community preparing to say goodbye.—
Zachary Bynum,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
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Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Spirit Airlines is facing turbulence amid rising jet fuel costs and navigating financial restructuring that, combined, could reportedly lead to even bigger issues for the budget carrier.—
Kelly McCarthy,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Keogh said Hein is not solely to blame for the financial management problems but also said Groveland had outgrown his management style as the city gained over 10,000 residents during Hein’s tenure.—
James Wilkins,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2026
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Fredericson says that exercise also supports weight management by affecting appetite, increasing calorie burn and helping preserve lean muscle mass, which is essential for maintaining a healthy metabolism.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Aviators — who lost to the Renegades, 28-23, on Sunday — announced after Ginn's arrest that offensive coordinator Todd Haley would handle head coaching duties for the team, per Yahoo Sports.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
13 Apr. 2026
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By proxy, Marion added, Barron will respect Livingston, who worked with Joseph in coaching Cincinnati’s defensive backs in 2014 and 2015.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The jaw-dropping transformations prompted a hilarious running joke in the comments section from viewers seeking glow-ups of their own.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
16 Apr. 2026
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Warning signs of failure include strange noises or vibrations, constant running, rust, and odors.—
Timothy Dale,
The Spruce,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Bay also praised Govan’s leadership in bringing the project to completion after years of planning and construction.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Dillihay will explore the creative decision-making, cultural perspective, and collaborative leadership required to bring the project to life – from guiding story and shaping performances to aligning hundreds of artists and technicians behind one cohesive vision.—
Marcus Jones,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Piloting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piloting. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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