navigate
Americanverb (used with object)
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navigates,
present (3rd person singular)
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navigated,
past participle, past
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navigating
present participle
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to move on, over, or through (water, air, or land) in a ship or aircraft.
to navigate a river.
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to direct or manage (a ship, aircraft, or guided missile) on its course.
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to ascertain or plot and control the course or position of (a ship, aircraft, etc.).
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to pass over (the sea or other body of water), as a ship does.
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to walk or find one's way on, in, or across.
It was difficult to navigate the stairs in the dark.
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to move or progress through in a logical sequence.
Headings and subheadings make it easier to navigate a long article.
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Computers. to move from one part to another of (a website, document, etc.), especially by using the links.
Their site is uncluttered and easy to navigate.
verb (used without object)
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navigates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
navigated,
past participle, past
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navigating
present participle
-
to direct or manage a ship, aircraft, or guided missile on its course.
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to pass over the water, as a ship does.
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to walk or find one's way.
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to travel by ship or boat; sail.
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to move or progress through something in a logical sequence.
We’re navigating through a maze of environmental legislation.
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Computers. to move from one part to another of a website, document, etc.
verb
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to plan, direct, or plot the path or position of (a ship, an aircraft, etc)
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(tr) to travel over, through, or on (water, air, or land) in a boat, aircraft, etc
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informal to direct (oneself, one's way, etc) carefully or safely
he navigated his way to the bar
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(intr) (of a passenger in a motor vehicle) to give directions to the driver; point out the route
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rare (intr) to voyage in a ship; sail
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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navigatesimple
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navigatessimple
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have navigatedperfect
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has navigatedperfect
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am navigatingprogressive
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are navigatingprogressive
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is navigatingprogressive
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have been navigatingperfect progressive
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has been navigatingperfect progressive
Past
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navigatedsimple
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had navigatedperfect
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was navigatingprogressive
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were navigatingprogressive
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had been navigatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of navigate
First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin nāvigātus “sailed,” past participle of nāvigāre “to sail,” from nāv(is) “ship” + -igāre, combining form of agere “to drive, do”; cf. fumigate
Explanation
To navigate is to determine a path or course. If you volunteer to navigate on your family’s road trip to Alaska, be sure you’re the type who’s willing to stop and ask for directions. Navigate, like “navy” and “naval,” comes from the Latin word navis meaning “ship.” Without the luxury of modern technology, ancient sailors had to be excellent navigators; they often relied on the stars to chart their course. (We don’t recommend that you try this method of navigation with your family in the car.)
Vocabulary lists containing navigate
100 SAT Words Beginning with "N"
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"Sisters" by Raina Telgemeier
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"The Math Instinct," Vocabulary from the math essay
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"They would greatly appreciate your understanding as they navigate this difficult time."
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
You need a team, and you certainly need an accountant and a trust-and-estate attorney to help you navigate the trust and the house contained in the trust.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 7, 2026
As the No. 1 on the show and an executive producer, how do you navigate fan response when it’s negative?
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
Sperm must navigate a complicated environment and interact with the female reproductive tract in many ways.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 6, 2026
He didn’t require a manual to navigate my mind.
From "A Very Large Expanse of Sea" by Tahereh Mafi
The iPhone maker’s stock has been on a steady upward trend in 2026, even as Apple navigates a memory crunch that has forced the company to raise prices on some of its products.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
Chief Executive Jim Koch said as the company navigates a challenging operating environment, it remains focused on marketplace execution for the remainder of the summer selling season and improving market share trends.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
Based on Janice Hadlow's novel of the same name, it focuses on Mary Bennet, the couple's seemingly unremarkable middle daughter as she navigates the societal pressures of Regency England.
From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026
In his third season with the Dodgers, rising star Andy Pages navigates the agonizing reality of being separated from his parents and sister as U.S.-Cuba relations face new flashpoints.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 14, 2026
As we shall see, many omissible words earn their keep by preventing the reader from making a wrong turn as she navigates her way through the sentence.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
A reporter opened the news conference following Indiana’s 108-100 loss to the Lynx by asking Clark how she and her teammates have navigated the conversation around the issue.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026
Cutler said this has a lower likelihood of being overridden by courts, noting Trump's top trade official Jamieson Greer had carefully navigated procedural requirements before imposing duties.
From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026
“We acknowledge these overhangs but note that Netflix has successfully navigated similar periods of skepticism,” she said.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026
The scientists recorded neural activity in mice as they navigated a virtual reality corridor and made perceptual decisions.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 13, 2026
They gathered on the quarterdeck so Leo could hear the conversation as he navigated.
From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan
The process of navigating the reefs was a centuries-old art.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
Hill and Jean also offered advice to young musicians navigating an industry increasingly driven by algorithms and viral success.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
"After many years, I found myself navigating manually again, searching for lighthouses to make sure we stayed on course," Islam said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 4, 2026
“Small-scale farmers across California are navigating an increasingly difficult environment,” researchers say in the report.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
“It’s generally known that you’ve flown only two missions. And that one of those occurred when Aarfy accidentally flew you over enemy territory while navigating you to Naples for a black-market water cooler.”
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
