English Reference

Word

traverse

Phoneticstra·verse, stress on the first syllable

US/ˈtɹævɝs/

UK/tɹɐvˈɜːs/

Definitions

01to travel across

C1 · Advanced Formal

v. to move across or through an area, especially when the journey is long or difficult.

v. to travel across, over, or through a particular area or terrain. Transitive — requires a direct object representing the space being crossed.

“The explorers had to traverse a vast desert to reach the ancient city.”

“The research team spent three weeks attempting to traverse the rugged mountain range before the winter snows blocked the high passes.”

Synonyms

crossspanpass over

02to rotate a weapon

C2 · Proficiency Military Technical

v. to turn a large gun or camera sideways to point it at a target.

v. to rotate a gun, turret, or sensor around a vertical axis to align it with a target.

“The tank commander ordered the crew to traverse the turret toward the trees.”

“The automated defense system can traverse three hundred and sixty degrees in seconds to intercept incoming projectiles.”

03to deny formally

C2 · Proficiency Law Formal · Technical

v. to officially say that a statement in a legal case is not true.

v. to formally deny an allegation of fact made by the opposing party in legal pleadings.

“The lawyer chose to traverse the witness's claim during the trial.”

“The defense filed a motion to traverse the prosecution's primary evidence, arguing that the timeline presented was physically impossible.”

Synonyms

Antonyms

04a crossing path

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Formal

n. a path or route that goes across something, like a mountain or a building.

n. a route or path that crosses a particular area; in architecture, a gallery or loft providing communication across a large building.

“The narrow traverse along the cliff edge was dangerous in the wind.”

“The architect included a high traverse in the cathedral design to allow maintenance crews to access the upper windows safely.”

05surveying line

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Science Technical

n. a series of measured lines used to map an area.

n. a series of lines of known length and direction used in surveying to determine the relative positions of points.

“The surveyors completed the traverse to mark the boundaries of the new park.”

“Errors in the initial traverse led to a significant discrepancy in the land deeds, requiring a complete resurvey of the valley.”

Synonyms

Usage

The verb is transitive and takes a direct object. It is more formal than 'cross' or 'go through'.

Pitfall

They traversed through the forest.

They traversed the forest.

Traverse is a transitive verb that directly takes the area as an object; using 'through' is redundant.

Real-World Examples

“Thus, collecting data on animals like whales and dolphins, which can traverse vast oceanic distances, was historically done with sightings from land or boats.”
Aeon 17 Aug 2026
“The high windows on either side of him reveal a landscape too dangerous to traverse.”
The Guardian 15 Aug 2026
“The greenway is an uneasy truce: Pedestrians still have to traverse six lanes of traffic to approach the harbor, and the greenway itself is sliced with a cross street every block.”
JSTOR Daily 12 Aug 2026
“As the biggest wild canids on the planet, with long legs that help them traverse great distances, they were made to be on the move.”
Smithsonian Magazine 31 Jul 2026

Domains

ArchitectureComputingEngineeringLawMilitaryNautical

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
Frequency
Frequent
Level
C1 · Advanced
Updated

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English Reference