navigate

verb

nav·​i·​gate ˈna-və-ˌgāt 

navigated; navigating

intransitive verb

1

: to travel by water : sail

navigated down to the mouth of the river

2

: to steer a course through a medium

specifically : to operate an airplane

navigate by instrument

3

: get around, move

was well enough to navigate under his own power

transitive verb

1

a

: to sail over, on, or through

able to navigate the deep ocean waters

b

: to make one's way over or through : traverse

… navigate the Internet via hypertext links connecting information-rich computers around the world.

—Stephanie Losee

2

a

: to steer or manage (a boat) in sailing

b

: to operate or control the course of

navigate an airplane

Synonyms

• conn
• con
• helm
• pilot
• steer

Examples of navigate in a Sentence

For thousands of years, sailors navigated by the stars.

How about if you drive and I navigate?

I'd need a map to navigate the city.

Only flat-bottomed boats can safely navigate the canal.

He has learned to navigate in rough waters.

The downtown area is easily navigated on foot.

She has trouble navigating the stairs with her crutches.

It took us 10 minutes to navigate through the parking lot to the exit.

The captain navigated the ship.

He has had experience navigating airplanes through storms.

Recent Examples on the Web

For the past 46 years, runners have navigated the scenic Lowcountry of Kiawah Island, a barrier island near Charleston that has an average elevation of only six feet above sea level. —Forbes Travel Guide, Forbes, 12 Jan. 2025

Councilmember Lisa Kaplan said Milstein takes a careful process when navigating balancing a budget by examining which programs work, and which do not. —Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 12 Jan. 2025

Wiktor, with his interdisciplinary mindset, navigates the space between design and engineering, applying lessons from art and materials science to solve complex robotics challenges. —Ethan Stone, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2025

Running out of battery while navigating an unfamiliar city, using translation apps, or staying in touch with friends and family can quickly turn a great day into a stressful one. —Samantha Leal, Travel + Leisure, 12 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin navigatus, past participle of navigare, from navis ship + -igare (from agere to drive) — more at agent

First Known Use

1588, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Kids Definition

navigate

verb

nav·​i·​gate ˈnav-ə-ˌgāt 

navigated; navigating

1

a

: to travel by water

b

: to sail over, on, or through

navigate the Atlantic Ocean

2

a

: to direct one's course in a ship or aircraft

b

: to control the course of : steer

3

: to make one's way about, over, or through

navigate the new website

navigate the school's halls