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Synonyms

piloting

American  
[pahy-luh-ting] / ˈpaɪ lə tɪŋ /

noun

  1. the determination of the course or position of a ship or airplane by any of various navigational methods or devices.

piloting British  
/ ˈpaɪlətɪŋ /

noun

  1. the navigational handling of a ship near land using buoys, soundings, landmarks, etc, or the finding of a ship's position by such means

  2. the occupation of a pilot

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of piloting

First recorded in 1710–20; pilot + -ing 1

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.

By 2020, though, Cora was beloved in Boston for piloting the Red Sox to the 2018 World Series championship over the Dodgers in his first season as manager.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

He is an able guide, piloting us deftly through the economic and cultural intricacies of a half-dozen societies in language that is mostly brisk and well-paced.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

The commission has been piloting an age-verification app that is currently being tested with member states, online platforms and other third parties.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

They will also test its manual piloting capabilities during docking simulations.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

It was six in the morning and he’d been driving in silence for most of the night, piloting our station wagon through Arizona, Nevada and Utah.

From "Educated" by Tara Westover

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.