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
-
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.
-
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’s opening up this conversation about the fragility and how dysfunctional this healthcare system is and how hard it is for these doctors and healthcare workers to navigate their way through it,” Hatosy adds.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
“It helps people navigate their lives,” Nick says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
Stacking these habits now can help you grow your wealth and confidence as you navigate your financial journey.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026
More parents are calling up hiring managers, applying for jobs on their adult child’s behalf, and even showing up—or lurking just off-screen—on Zoom calls to help navigate difficult conversations or go over benefits packages.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
Although the stampede continues unabated, at least I know Marlena won’t be trampled before I can navigate the perimeter of the tent.
From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen
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
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
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
He wipes the screen with his sleeve and navigates with deft fingers to our mother’s first journal entry.
From "Allegiant" by Veronica Roth
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
Treasury yields were trading little changed in Asian trade, as investors navigated between higher oil prices and hopes of an end to hostilities between the U.S. and Iran.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
When he navigated his way outside it was akin to crossing a river, he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 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
Dad finally navigated his way to Aunt Maureen’s an hour later, after driving on about seven hundred narrow dirt roads and passing about two hundred cows.
From "P.S. I Miss You" by Jen Petro-Roy
The company has a large fleet and lots of experience navigating Europe’s rivers, but some itineraries may need to be modified, it warned.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
“Small-scale farmers across California are navigating an increasingly difficult environment,” researchers say in the report.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
They practice sustaining tension, navigating uncertainty and responding in real-time to others.
From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2026
For Ambrositsch and Keller, the key to survival lies in navigating those challenges while refreshing the age-old formula.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
Apparently his evasive driving skills extended to navigating Laleh past potential distractions.
From "Darius the Great Is Not Okay" by Adib Khorram
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.
