PILOTS Synonyms: 73 Similar and Opposite Words

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

Relevance

pilots

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of pilot

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

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

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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of pilots

Noun

Delta Flight 1966, an Airbus A321neo traveling from San Juan, was carrying 170 passengers, two pilots and four flight attendants. —

Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 17 June 2026 There were 170 passengers and six pilots and crew aboard. —

Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 16 June 2026 In the early days of the club, pilots were still flying aircraft built from scratch or purchased as kits consisting of balsa wood, bamboo, and tissue paper, said Don Kurtz, 76, a former flight instructor who first joined the club in the 1970s. —

Randy Tucker, USA Today, 15 June 2026 The August sighting was called in by two commercial pilots, one from American Airlines and another from JetBlue minutes later. —

Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026 Companies conducting air jumps face more regulations than private pilots flying a typical plane, but those requirements have more to do with the proper handling of skydiving equipment rather than flying the plane itself. —

Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 15 June 2026 So British officials spread the story that their pilots were eating large amounts of carrots to explain their sharp night vision, misleading the enemy into thinking diet, not technology, was behind the success. —

Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 15 June 2026 The other victims include passengers Lucas Vignale, Gaspar Prim (also known as Argentinian YouTuber Gaspi), Lucas Brito Chaves, and pilots Alexandre Souza and Charles Marsillac. —

Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026 On many commercial flights, pilots transition to sophisticated autopilot systems shortly after takeoff that manage much of the flight at cruising altitude. —

Tim Burns, Fortune, 9 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

Elsewhere, the Lisbon festival will screen Fernando Vendrell’s Alem do Horizonte – A Travessia (Beyond the Horizon – The Crossing), which recalls early 20th-century Portuguese aeronauts Sacadura Cabral and Gago Coutinho as the first aviators to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a single leg.

— Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 28 Oct. 2025
The space will document the stories of aviators, veterans and civilians whose lives intersected with the base from World War II through the Vietnam War.

— Victoria Le, Oc Register, 28 Oct. 2025