navigate

UK: /ˈnævɪgeɪt/ US: /ˈnævɪˌgeɪt/ ,(nav′i gāt′)

Inflections of 'navigate' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

navigates

v 3rd person singular

navigating

v pres p

navigated

v past

navigated

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

nav•i•gate /ˈnævɪˌgeɪt/   v., -gat•ed, -gat•ing. 

1. Naval Terms, Nautical to move on, over, or through (water, air, or land) in a ship or aircraft: [~ + object]
   The ship easily navigated the river.
   [no object]
   The ship could navigate through the marshes at high tide.
2. Naval Terms, Nautical to direct or manage (a ship, aircraft, spacecraft, etc.) on its course: [~ + object]
   The pilot navigated the plane through the snowstorm.
   [no object]
   to navigate in the snow and cold.
3. to walk or find one's way on, in, or across: [~ + object]
   It was hard to navigate the stairs in the dark.
   [no object]
   Do you think you can navigate through the downtown area safely?

See -nav-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

nav•i•gate  (nav′i gāt′), v., -gat•ed, -gat•ing. 
v.t. 

1. Naval Terms, Nautical to move on, over, or through (water, air, or land) in a ship or aircraft:
   to navigate a river.
2. Naval Terms, Nautical to direct or manage (a ship, aircraft, or guided missile) on its course.
3. Naval Terms, Nautical to ascertain or plot and control the course or position of (a ship, aircraft, etc.).
4. Naval Terms, Nautical to pass over (the sea or other body of water), as a ship does.
5. to walk or find one's way on, in, or across:
   It was difficult to navigate the stairs in the dark.

v.i. 

6. Naval Terms, Nautical to direct or manage a ship, aircraft, or guided missile on its course.
7. Naval Terms, Nautical to pass over the water, as a ship does.
8. to walk or find one's way.
9. Nautical, Naval Terms to travel by ship or boat;
   sail.

• Latin nāvigātus, past participle of nāvigāre to sail, derivative of nāvis ship; for formation, see fumigate
• 1580–90

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

navigate / ˈnævɪˌɡeɪt/ verb

1. to plan, direct, or plot the path or position of (a ship, an aircraft, etc)
2. (transitive) to travel over, through, or on (water, air, or land) in a boat, aircraft, etc
3. to direct (oneself, one's way, etc) carefully or safely: he navigated his way to the bar
4. (intransitive) (of a passenger in a motor vehicle) to give directions to the driver; point out the route

Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin nāvigāre to sail, from nāvis ship + agere to drive