1
a
: one employed to steer a ship : helmsman
b
: a person who is qualified and usually licensed to conduct a ship into and out of a port or in specified waters
c
: a person who flies or is qualified to fly an aircraft or spacecraft
3
4
: a piece that guides a tool or machine part
5
: a television show produced and filmed or taped as a sample of a proposed series
piloted; piloting; pilots
1
: to act as a guide to : lead or conduct over a usually difficult course
2
a
: to set and conn the course of
pilot a ship
b
: to act as pilot of
pilot a plane
: serving as a guiding or tracing device, an activating or auxiliary unit, or a trial apparatus or operation
a pilot study
Examples of pilot in a Sentence
Noun
the airline is seeking experienced pilots to fly the new airplane
Verb
He is learning how to pilot a helicopter.
He skillfully piloted the ship into port during the storm.
Adjective
The group conducted a pilot program.
a new pilot program to train inner-city residents for jobs in the tech sector
Recent Examples on the Web
Zach Halaschak, The Washington Examiner, 10 Feb. 2026
Days before Epstein's July 2019 arrest, the FBI strategized about sending agents to serve grand jury subpoenas on people close to Epstein, including his pilots and longtime business client, retail mogul Les Wexner.
—Arkansas Online, 9 Feb. 2026
Rose Evans, Idaho Statesman, 8 Feb. 2026
Her course to bobsled success has been arduous and circuitous, including moments of firsts for a woman – one of the firsts to pilot a mixed-gender team in four-man, and the first to drive an all-female team against men in a World Cup – and fights for a woman.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2026
Prince Harry — who did two tours of duty in Afghanistan as an Army Air Corps co-pilot gunner — also responded to Trump, while not referring to the president by name.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pilot
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
The House legislative package, however, excludes some of the most ambitious reforms in the Senate version, such as a pilot program to incentivize localities to liberalize land-use rules using Community Development Block Grant funding.
—Zach Halaschak, The Washington Examiner, 10 Feb. 2026
Days before Epstein's July 2019 arrest, the FBI strategized about sending agents to serve grand jury subpoenas on people close to Epstein, including his pilots and longtime business client, retail mogul Les Wexner.
—Arkansas Online, 9 Feb. 2026
Verb
The officer piloting the drone could use its display monitor to determine whether more officers need to be dispatched to a call or fewer.
—Rose Evans, Idaho Statesman, 8 Feb. 2026
Her course to bobsled success has been arduous and circuitous, including moments of firsts for a woman – one of the firsts to pilot a mixed-gender team in four-man, and the first to drive an all-female team against men in a World Cup – and fights for a woman.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
The person sitting in the co-pilot seat was not qualified to perform second-in-command duties, according to the NTSB report.
—Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2026
Prince Harry — who did two tours of duty in Afghanistan as an Army Air Corps co-pilot gunner — also responded to Trump, while not referring to the president by name.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pilot
Cite this Entry
“Pilot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pilot. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pilot
2 of 3 verb
: to act as pilot of : guide
pilot
3 of 3 adjective
: serving as a guiding or tracing device, as an activating or auxiliary unit, or to test a new invention or idea
a pilot study
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