English Reference

Word

navigate

Phoneticsnav·i·gate

US/ˈnævəˌɡeɪt/

UK/nˈævɪɡˌeɪt/

Definitions

01to direct a vehicle

B1

v. to plan and direct the route of a ship, aircraft, or car.

v. to plan, control, and record the position and course of a vehicle or vessel. Often used transitively with the vehicle or the route as the object.

“Early sailors used the stars to navigate their ships across the ocean.”

“The pilot had to navigate the aircraft through a narrow mountain pass during the heavy storm, relying entirely on his instruments.”

Usage

Can be used transitively (navigate the ship) or intransitively (he is navigating).

Synonyms

02computing

B1 · Computing

v. to move around a website or computer screen to find what you need.

v. to move between web pages, menus, or digital interfaces using hyperlinks or interface controls.

“The website is very easy to navigate because the menu is clear.”

“Users often find it difficult to navigate complex databases without a robust search function or a clear hierarchical structure.”

Usage

Often used with 'through' or 'around'.

Synonyms

03to handle a situation

B2

v. to find a way to deal with a difficult or complicated situation.

v. to find a way through a complex or difficult process or social situation. Figurative use.

“She helped her friend navigate the difficult process of applying for a visa.”

“The CEO had to carefully navigate the political tensions between the two merging companies to ensure a smooth transition.”

Usage

Commonly used with abstract nouns like 'process', 'system', or 'relationship'.

Real-World Examples

“Foote added young islanders were "trying to navigate" the challenges of social media and the world they are growing up in.”
BBC News · 13 Aug 2026
“Women of previous generations have also navigated that balance – they weren’t all sold on the notion of “burying the body” – but never so many, all at once.”
The Guardian · 12 Aug 2026

Etymology

First attested in 1588; borrowed from Latin nāvigātus, the perfect passive participle of nāvigō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from nāvis (“ship”) + -igō, from Proto-Indo-European *néh₂us (“boat”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

Domain

Computing

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

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