navigating

verb

present participle of navigate
1
as in steering
to operate or control the course of the hours of training that are required before a student pilot is allowed to navigate an airplane solo

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in sailing
to travel on water in a vessel the months that were once required to navigate around South America in the days before the Panama Canal

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in traversing
to make one's way through, across, or over it will take some effort to navigate that stretch of hills, but we can do it

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 navigating Historical anecdotes are everywhere and combined with recent experience navigating that system gave me a window. — Scott Levenson, New York Daily News, 18 Oct. 2026 For Mohsen, that means making a case for what the festival can offer filmmakers navigating an increasingly crowded international circuit. — Essie Assibu, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026 Aerial footage shows multiple airboats navigating shallow, grassy floodwaters, with the water low enough for people to walk through. — Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026 While technical skills can be developed through training, engineers also need experience navigating real-world customer challenges. — Barbara Booth, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026 The atmospheric drama followed a closeted physical ed teacher in Newcastle, navigating the introduction of Margaret Thatcher’s Section 28 anti-gay law. — Elaina Patton, IndieWire, 15 Oct. 2026 Rice is an experienced corporate executive who spent nearly three decades navigating Rupert Murdoch‘s media empire, serving as president of 21st Century Fox and CEO of Fox Networks Group. — Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026 His predecessor, Tim Cook, gained stature on the world stage as a power broker deftly navigating global politics, markets, and supply chains. — Andrew R. Chow, Time, 15 Oct. 2026 Many are navigating divorce, illness, breakups, or a reconsideration of their religious beliefs. — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for navigating
  1. steering
  2. sailing
  3. traversing
  4. piloting
  5. cruising
  6. crossing
  7. following
  8. walking
Verb
  • Eric Schmidt spent nearly a decade atop Google as its CEO, steering the tech giant from its early days as a public company to its current status as one of the world’s most valuable businesses.
    — Preston Fore, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The counterclockwise flow of air around the storm is steering dry air southward from Canada, as a high-pressure force field keeps the system offshore.
    — Washington Post, Washington Post, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of steering
Verb
  • Charging infrastructure at ports would supply the electricity needed for operation, allowing the concept to avoid direct carbon emissions while sailing.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Chuck Zimmerman, who is described by his supporters as a Navy veteran who was intercepted by the Russian navy while sailing in international waters.
    — Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of sailing
Verb
  • Then getting that energy to major cities means traversing some of the most pristine, spectacular natural corridors this nation has left, and particularly in the Southwest, rubbing up against the sacred lands of local tribal communities.
    — Sara Herschander, Vox, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Oil drops as Hormuz traffic rebounds Oil prices fell as new data showed crude exports from the Middle East surpassed prewar levels, though any respite may be short-lived as attacks on tankers traversing the Strait of Hormuz increased.
    — Mary Lawrence Ware, semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of traversing
Verb
  • Denver Public Schools is piloting a new gym class called Peer-to-Peer PE that brings together students with and without disabilities.
    — Chierstin Roth, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The building, which opens with a free community festival Friday through Tuesday, is piloting a cooperative nonprofit partnership model.
    — Rudi Greenberg, Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of piloting
Verb
  • If Mick hadn’t come cruising into that playground, lights off?
    — George Saunders, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The Arlington Heights Yellowjackets continued their dominant season Friday, cruising to a dominant 71-0 victory over the North Side Steers and extending their unbeaten record.
    — Aliza Acuna, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of cruising
Verb
  • If Taipei refrains from crossing the ultimate red line of declaring formal independence, Beijing appears confident in its long-term strategy of integration.
    — Ningrong Liu, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • On Monday, the 33-year-old endurance swimmer emerged from the water after crossing the latitude of the California-Mexico border and became the first person to swim the length of California.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of crossing
Verb
  • The Sun enters your 3rd House, beginning a month that favors learning, writing, conversations, local activity, and following questions farther than usual.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Other big tech stocks likewise fell following quarterly reports that included at least some encouraging nuggets.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of following
Verb
  • In September, two girls from Skyview High protested by walking off the start line after the gun went off, and last week, about a dozen of his own teammates did the same thing.
    — Matt Calkins OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • For Applegate, her previous diagnosis of MS had offered an explanation for her ongoing struggle with symptoms including tingling and numbness in her extremities, lack of coordination, balance issues and difficulty walking.
    — Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of walking

Browse Nearby Words

navigates
navigating
navigational
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Cite this Entry

“Navigating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/navigating. Accessed 25 Oct. 2026.

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