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
Relevance
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
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pilots
Nick Lentz,
CBS News,
29 June 2026
The Next Phase Of Enterprise AI Successful pilots and successful enterprise deployments are very different things.
—
Larry English,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
The test used additional radios on the drones intended to allow pilots to keep an eye on the drones even while out of sight.
—
Elizabeth Howell,
Space.com,
27 June 2026
Cressy has additionally established the nonprofit, Privileged Pilots Project, an organization dedicated to helping aspiring pilots with health and life challenges achieve their dreams.
—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
27 June 2026
The only public indication of an impending launch was the release of a warning for pilots and sailors to steer clear of the rocket’s flight path.
—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
26 June 2026
AerAware departs from traditional head-up displays and instead equips both pilots with a dual wearable system that delivers the same information to each cockpit seat.
—
Amalia Roy,
FOXNews.com,
24 June 2026
That said, even though directly involved in the adaptation of her own comic book series (to the point of drawing boards for early explorations and pilots), Tamaki later stressed the importance of being able to step back from ownership of the story being adapted.
—
Kambole Campbell,
Variety,
23 June 2026
Both weapons are being discussed as beyond-visual-range missiles, built to strike targets before pilots can visually see them.
—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
23 June 2026
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
Noun
The pilots reported the laser strike while flying over Bedford Township.
—
Nick Lentz,
CBS News,
29 June 2026
The Next Phase Of Enterprise AI Successful pilots and successful enterprise deployments are very different things.
—
Larry English,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
The test used additional radios on the drones intended to allow pilots to keep an eye on the drones even while out of sight.
—
Elizabeth Howell,
Space.com,
27 June 2026
Cressy has additionally established the nonprofit, Privileged Pilots Project, an organization dedicated to helping aspiring pilots with health and life challenges achieve their dreams.
—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
27 June 2026
The only public indication of an impending launch was the release of a warning for pilots and sailors to steer clear of the rocket’s flight path.
—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
26 June 2026
AerAware departs from traditional head-up displays and instead equips both pilots with a dual wearable system that delivers the same information to each cockpit seat.
—
Amalia Roy,
FOXNews.com,
24 June 2026
That said, even though directly involved in the adaptation of her own comic book series (to the point of drawing boards for early explorations and pilots), Tamaki later stressed the importance of being able to step back from ownership of the story being adapted.
—
Kambole Campbell,
Variety,
23 June 2026
Both weapons are being discussed as beyond-visual-range missiles, built to strike targets before pilots can visually see them.
—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
23 June 2026
Verb
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pilots
Noun
-
Rihanna looks radiant in a raspberry jumpsuit and coordinating aviators while shopping in Beverly Hills on June 24.
-
Another option is to simply opt for a pair of aviators that match your own.
Verb
-
Eder believed that American flags should be made in America, a philosophy that still guides the company today.
-
For a truly memorable half day on the island, book a session at Forge a Memory, where a blacksmith guides you through making your own knife.
Verb
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The system accelerates, brakes and steers the vehicle in the lane.
-
Smoked paprika, six cloves of garlic, fresh mint, and lemon juice create a smoky, citrusy, bright flavor combo that steers ordinary chicken breast into decidedly unexpected territory.
Verb
-
Ortega, a physical education teacher at a public school, also coaches track and field and cross country when classes aren’t in session.
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The Venezuelan families of Ramírez, Palencia, Moisés Ballesteros and coaches Jonathan Mota and Erick Castillo are OK.
Verb
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Despite operating on stablecoin rails, Caliza still routes many transactions through Swift.
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The lymphatic system collects that fluid from your tissues and routes it through a network of vessels, nodes and organs running parallel to the circulatory system throughout nearly the entire body, per StatPearls.
Verb
-
Gallup research shows that managers account for at least 70% of the variance in team engagement across organizations.
-
An Atlanta Journal-Constitution analysis shows the executive spent roughly three-quarters of that — more than $83 million — on television and cable advertising.
Cite this Entry
“Pilots.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pilots. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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