Definition of circumnavigatenext
1
as in to traverse
to travel completely around the first ship to circumnavigate the globe

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to bypass
to avoid by going around we can circumnavigate the traffic jam if we take the next exit

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of circumnavigate The 16th-century adventurer, who first circumnavigated the globe by sea in 1522, wavers beneath the pressure of his pursuit, ultimately leading his men to mutiny and madness on the Malay Archipelago. Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 18 Nov. 2025 In an attempt to become the first woman pilot to circumnavigate Earth, Earhart, along with navigator Fred Noonan, vanished in 1937 over the Pacific Ocean. Dan Vergano, Scientific American, 14 Nov. 2025 Roosevelt let newspaper editorials hash out the pros and cons of the voyage before making an official announcement, and the leak represented the first time congressmen (and the public) heard about the fleet’s plans to circumnavigate the globe. JSTOR Daily, 7 Nov. 2025 The conference will culminate in the official launch of the Sentinel Mission on October 10, featuring REDWING, the first autonomous underwater glider that will embark on the first-ever AUV mission to autonomously circumnavigate the globe. Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for circumnavigate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circumnavigate
Verb
  • The wolf traversed through much of the Sierra Nevada and was part of a pack in Tulare County, which is located west of Fresno and just north of Bakersfield.
    Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 8 Feb. 2026
  • The disorder resulted in far fewer Palestinians traversing the border between Egypt and Gaza than was expected, nearly two years after Israel seized and shut the crossing.
    Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The goal was to bypass political debate and constitutional constraints by anchoring Castro’s repressive agenda in the authority of Washington's security apparatus.
    Evandro Cruz Silva, The Dial, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Trains were bypassing the stop in both directions while police tried to piece together what unfolded.
    Adi Guajardo, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Detectives noted a consistent gait and distinctive walking pattern across videos captured before and after the shooting, including footage showing the suspect circling the area for hours and later walking away from the Barus & Holley building shortly after the gunfire.
    Ashley Carnahan, FOXNews.com, 10 Feb. 2026
  • By the time Victor Villa arrived at his restaurant Villa’s Tacos in Highland Park on Monday afternoon, a mob of press surrounded him, a line of customers had stretched down the block since daybreak, and cars and TV-news satellite trucks circled the parking lot, double parked in front of red curbs.
    Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Moscow is at the mercy of an American president who circumvents traditional channels of power and obliterates the constraints that once regulated their use.
    Alan Cullison, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Republican state lawmakers opposed the measure, saying the Legislature was circumventing its process and abandoning transparency and accountability in order to funnel tax dollars to a political ally.
    Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • To escape Earth’s energy crunch, SpaceX is taking AI to orbit, where near-constant solar energy replaces Earth’s strained power grids.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 Feb. 2026
  • Central Florida’s growth conversations often orbit downtown Orlando, Lake Nona, Winter Park or the tourism corridor.
    Christopher Bellingham, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Avian influenza continues to cause significant mortality in wild birds, prompting the Arkansas Department of Agriculture to recommend avoiding contact with wild birds.
    Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 15 Feb. 2026
  • During warmer months, when the path is crowded with tourists in leisure mode, anyone who walks with a purpose should avoid the Bridge at all costs.
    Katie James Watkinson, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • But it’s presented here with invigorating flourishes that encircle the story within specific moments in time, while also granting it a stirring dramatic transcendence.
    Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
  • The rock was encircled by a whopping 58 more pink diamonds, plus one half-moon diamond on either side.
    Christina Perrier, InStyle, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Restrictions negotiated by Israeli, Egyptian, Palestinian and international officials mean that only 50 people will be allowed to return to Gaza each day and 50 medical patients -- with two companions for each -- will be allowed to leave, but far fewer people have crossed so far.
    SAMY MAGDY, Arkansas Online, 9 Feb. 2026
  • In the case of Brentford’s Dango Ouattara and West Ham’s El Hadji Malick Diouf, their assists were more eye-catching than the goals themselves because of the way in which both players crossed the ball so invitingly, with a mixture of conviction and precision, and also from so far back.
    Stuart James, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Circumnavigate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circumnavigate. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

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