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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of 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
Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2026
Light takes up to 24 minutes to reach Mars from Earth, and piloting a one-ton remote-control car with a 48-minute signal delay is tricky.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Spacecraft didn't need piloting or tending.
—New Atlas, 15 Feb. 2026
And the cost to obtain a mortgage could be reduced through increasing primary and secondary support for loans under $100,000 and piloting a program to provide first-time, first-generation homebuyers with downpayment and closing cost assistance, and interest rate buydowns.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
The accident occurred when the light aircraft that Kennedy was piloting crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts.
—Katie Kindelan, ABC News, 13 Feb. 2026
Lately, Stewart has been piloting a Top Fuel dragster — a challenge even his most accomplished peers consider extraordinary.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 Feb. 2026
Regular readers of this newsletter will know that Anthropic fired shots at OpenAI in its Super Bowl ad over the weekend, by announcing that Claude would never have advertisements — a pointed criticism of OpenAI, which is piloting ads in ChatGPT.
—Billy Perrigo, Time, 10 Feb. 2026
The officer piloting the drone could use its display monitor to determine whether more officers need to be dispatched to a call or fewer.
—Rose Evans, Idaho Statesman, 8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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
Only one person competes, pushing the sled at the start and piloting down the course at speeds of 70 to 80 mph.
—Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2026
Light takes up to 24 minutes to reach Mars from Earth, and piloting a one-ton remote-control car with a 48-minute signal delay is tricky.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Spacecraft didn't need piloting or tending.
—New Atlas, 15 Feb. 2026
And the cost to obtain a mortgage could be reduced through increasing primary and secondary support for loans under $100,000 and piloting a program to provide first-time, first-generation homebuyers with downpayment and closing cost assistance, and interest rate buydowns.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
The accident occurred when the light aircraft that Kennedy was piloting crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts.
—Katie Kindelan, ABC News, 13 Feb. 2026
Lately, Stewart has been piloting a Top Fuel dragster — a challenge even his most accomplished peers consider extraordinary.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 Feb. 2026
Regular readers of this newsletter will know that Anthropic fired shots at OpenAI in its Super Bowl ad over the weekend, by announcing that Claude would never have advertisements — a pointed criticism of OpenAI, which is piloting ads in ChatGPT.
—Billy Perrigo, Time, 10 Feb. 2026
The officer piloting the drone could use its display monitor to determine whether more officers need to be dispatched to a call or fewer.
—Rose Evans, Idaho Statesman, 8 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piloting
Noun
-
Honda tweaked the steering to provide more feedback and a greater sense of stability.—
Mark Phelan,
USA Today,
9 Feb. 2026
-
This mode leaves it up to the RZR's onboard management system to analyze driving parameters like throttle, braking, steering and motion and lock or unlock the sway bars accordingly – up to 200 times per second.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
My guiding principle would be protecting American interests while avoiding unnecessary entanglements—making decisions grounded in facts, realism, and a clear understanding of the regional, economic, and security implications involved.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
-
My guiding principle is not ideology, but outcomes — what works, what is fair and what measurably improves the quality of life for the people of Mecklenburg County.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Civil rights activist Medgar Evers, who had a second-floor office, began conducting meetings in the downstairs eatery.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Also on Tuesday, Indivisible CT is conducting an anti-ICE rally on the state Capitol lawn, taking political aim at a federal agency that has fallen sharply out of public favor after killing two American citizens in Minnesota and roughing up scores of others.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The new installment promises challenges across diverse locations, from navigating the Angolan desert in track vehicles to immersing in Malaysia’s automotive scene and testing American performance cars in California.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Neighbors in some communities have seen a reprieve from snow removal, yet others continue to wait while navigating tough sidewalks.—
Mike Sullivan,
CBS News,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
John Rose, chief risk officer for global travel management company Altour, said strains could surface at airports more quickly this time because the TSA workforce also will be remembering the last shutdown.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Feb. 2026
-
All this comes with an impressive calorie tradeoff – fewer than 4 calories per medium-sized berry, making strawberries a satisfying option for snacking or dessert when healthy weight management is a priority.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Flash forward to today, and Foley is coaching his son Ryan, who helped contribute to that win.—
Erik Anderson,
Boston Herald,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Fortson championed the growth of girls wrestling, which included coaching one of his own, Destiny Miles, to individual state championships in 2019 and 2020.—
Rick Kretzschmar,
Dallas Morning News,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
He had just been hired as the Patriots’ new running backs coach, and wanted to begin laying relationship bricks on a regular March day.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
-
As Thursday’s trade deadline looms, the Heat is believed to still be in the running for Antetokounmpo; that remains Miami’s unquestioned priority.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
That balance of a decades-old history and a new brand’s need to establish itself in its own right shapes the leadership challenge facing Strazik, who joined GE in 2000 when it was still led by Jack Welch, one of the defining — and most debated — business leaders of the 20th century.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
6 Feb. 2026
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Taking the baton Pacific Symphony announced its 2026-27 Classical Series, marking the orchestra’s 48th season, and its first under the leadership of its new artistic and music director, Alexander Shelley.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Piloting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piloting. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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