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:
“It just exacerbates the consumer confusion as they’re trying to navigate pricing of airlines,” Farrell said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
Medpace has carved out a niche helping smaller biotechs navigate the regulatory process.
From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026
Researchers must also navigate rapidly changing ethical standards surrounding destructive sampling of human remains.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 12, 2026
The company said its diversified operations and long-term contracts with Adnoc Group helped it navigate the regional disruption.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
But somehow, pretending that she had made Penelope feel a tiny bit less nervous as she and the Incorrigibles began to navigate their way through the unfamiliar streets.
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
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
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
It then navigates its environment using cameras in its helmet that provide 360-degree vision, allowing its AI system to assess the surroundings and adapt its movements.
From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2026
After a boom in demand during the pandemic, the industry has gone through a period of consolidation as it navigates the thin margins involved in home-delivery services, especially for food.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026
Some even run behind the police car as it slowly navigates past gawking people, parked and stopped cars, and limo coaches.
From "Black Brother, Black Brother" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Pazsitzky said the former couple were trying to make their two children a priority as they navigated the split.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
American businesses have navigated Trump’s trade war nimbly, said Rich Lesser, chair of Boston Consulting Group.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 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
Cade navigated by aiming his steering wheel toward two pinpoints of red—the taillights on whatever car was driving ahead of us.
From "100 Sideways Miles" by Andrew Smith
We’re navigating historically expensive housing, student debt, inflation, stagnant entry-level wages and a social landscape with more entertainment options than previous generations had.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
For many people, dealing with an insurance company can feel like navigating a black box of restrictions and jargon.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026
In addition to navigating the Covid-19 pandemic, Deno faced two activist investors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
The 24-year-old musician from north-west London has just released his debut album after years of navigating the music industry, having signed to independent label Neighbourhood Recordings as a teenager.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
At that very moment, for example, Will was inside the walls of the Ashers’ apartment building, navigating with the help of an outmoded dumbwaiter that probably no one but him knew existed anymore.
From "A Tangle of Knots" by Lisa Graff
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.
