verb
navigate
NAV-ih-gayt
verb
1
To plan and follow a route or course while traveling.
"The captain navigated the ship through the narrow strait."
"We used a paper map to navigate before smartphones existed."
2
To find a way through a difficult or complicated situation.
"The company had to navigate a tricky legal dispute."
"She navigated the awkward conversation with grace."
3
To move between pages or sections of a website or app.
"Click the menu to navigate to your account settings."
How to Use Navigate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo find and follow your way — whether on a journey, through a website, or through a tricky situation.
Common pairings
navigate a website
navigate a crisis
navigate by GPS
Word Forms
navigated past tense, navigates singular
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The captain _____ the ship through the narrow strait.
Etymology
From Latin navigare, "to sail a ship," from navis ("ship") plus agere ("to drive").