Synonyms of pilots

pilots 1 of 2

noun

plural of pilot

as in aviators

one who flies or is qualified to fly an aircraft or spacecraft

the airline is seeking experienced pilots to fly the new airplane

Synonyms & Similar Words

• aviators
• airmen
• fliers
• birdmen
• copilots
• test pilots
• aces
• flyboys
• skippers
• captains
• bush pilots
• barnstormers

pilots

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of pilot

1

as in guides

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

• guides
• coaches
• shows
• mentors
• shepherds
• tutors
• accompanies
• steers
• teaches
• engineers
• leads
• walks through
• counsels
• escorts
• trains
• informs
• schools
• convoys
• supervises
• drills
• briefs
• squires
• godfathers
• chaperones
• superintends
• sees
• directs
• attends
• sways
• oversees
• instructs
• indoctrinates
• fosters
• enlightens
• inculcates
• nurtures
• cultivates

2

as in steers

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

• guides
• steers
• routes
• shows
• ushers
• leads
• accompanies
• marshals
• escorts
• conducts
• directs
• convoys
• precedes
• controls
• chaperones
• manages
• sees
• attends

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• follows
• trails
• dogs
• tails
• shadows
• hounds
• tailgates

3

as in navigates

to operate or control the course of

managed to pilot the plane to safety despite the failure of the left engine

Synonyms & Similar Words

• steers
• navigates
• hijacks
• helms
• conns
• commandeers

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of pilots

Noun

The drone pilots—Nebraskans—worked for a company called Fantasy Drone Shows. — Paige Williams, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026

Its pilots fly with SkyBreathe software that adjusts routes and flight profiles in real time to burn less fuel, and the airline flew one A350 delivery leg from Singapore on a 40 percent blend of sustainable aviation fuel. — Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026

The ministry earlier said the pilots of the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, which can carry 12 passengers, notified the control tower at Nazca airfield of the emergency, in the aircraft’s final radio transmission. — Gonzalo Zegarra, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026

Artificial intelligence is also anticipated to assist pilots by rapidly analyzing battlefield information, prioritizing threats, and coordinating missions with unmanned aircraft. — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 31 July 2026

In the wake of the tragedy, the NTSB made several safety recommendations, including calling on charter and air taxi operators to provide pilots with training on how to prevent and recover from a loss of control during flight. — David Chiu, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026

This means training the humans who confirm the call and are the co-pilots. — Bhaskar Chakravorti, Fortune, 25 July 2026

In one of the final photos, Archie sits in the cockpit of a plane while being instructed by pilots. — Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 24 July 2026

Verb

Manuel Varela, who also pilots Goodie, says the drone has switchable nozzles for whatever the cleaning job calls for. — Delia Rose Sauer, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026

There's also an optional co-op mode, which allows two players to split the controls of the Arwing starfighter and other vehicles; one person pilots them while the other shoots at enemies. — Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 8 May 2026

Benji gives in to whatever Jake wants, desperate not to rock the boat, while Jake frequently pilots their relationship, taking control without giving much thought to Benji and his desires. — David Opie, IndieWire, 4 May 2026

The drones are always recording and equipped with high-quality zoom and thermal cameras as a Cincinnati police officer remotely pilots the drone from the department's command center. — David Ferrara, Cincinnati Enquirer, 11 Dec. 2025

When Claire’s adult daughter Channing pilots the idea of going on a ski trip next year and starting her own holiday traditions, Claire completely ices her out and won’t consider it. — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 9 Dec. 2025

Maito then pilots one of these robots, called Gaine, and teams up with other mecha to take down the real evil Nouvelle Tokyo City. — Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025