1
as in circling
to travel completely around
the first ship to circumnavigate the globe
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in bypassing
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 circumnavigating
Superpressure balloons can last for months and travel long distances, potentially circumnavigating the globe, all the while reporting their position.
—
IEEE Spectrum, 31 Jan. 2026
IEEE Spectrum, 31 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circumnavigating
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
-
Translated into footwear, the daisy now appears as a metal ring circling the heel rather than on the upper or packaging.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But the bigger concern hanging over the industry is the rise of prediction markets like Kalshi, which have come out of nowhere over the last year to offer a new way to bet on sports, bypassing the state-level gambling regulations that have restricted the spread of older gambling apps.—
Peyton Forte,
Fortune,
8 Feb. 2026
-
On either side of the bridge, there are dozens of illicit routes across the river that are controlled by binational armed groups, bypassing even the occasional cursory checks that might occur at the official border crossing.—
Daniel Alarcón,
New Yorker,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
From there, the monks will walk together again, traversing six miles to the temple where their trip began.—
Deepa Bharath,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The work is a stone arch that, rather than traversing a stream from one bank to another, stands in the water lengthwise, aligned with the rushing current, evoking a leaping salmon.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Leonard has one season left on his deal after this one, with uncertainty surrounding him in the league’s investigation into the Aspiration situation, in which Leonard and the Clippers are accused of circumventing the NBA’s salary-cap rules.—
Law Murray,
New York Times,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Learning French, German, Italian, or Spanish also offered a means of circumventing Ireland’s draconian censorship regime.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Such observations would have confirmed the comets' demise and also shed light on whether smaller pieces of their shattered nuclei would keep orbiting the sun as mini-comets.—
Kiona N. Smith,
Space.com,
11 Feb. 2026
-
This is increasingly important, given the rising number of satellites orbiting our planet.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The battery is reported to retain more than 90 percent of its driving range even at –40 degrees Celsius, avoiding the sharp winter degradation commonly associated with both LFP and nickel-manganese-cobalt batteries.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Sokolowski also recommends avoiding misting your refrigerator with water directly—always apply it to a microfiber cloth first.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The rehaut features deep-blue Tambour markings and modern numerals on a crisp white background, encircling a 24-hour GMT scale at a lower level.—
Thor Svaboe,
Robb Report,
2 Feb. 2026
-
America’s most powerful military assets have now convened in the Middle East, encircling Iran and preparing to strike it from land, air, and sea.—
Karim Sadjadpour,
The Atlantic,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The pedestrian is cited for crossing at other than a crosswalk, a village ordinance violation, Fragassi stated.—
Pioneer Press,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Gallo, an Argentine national security officer who García says is innocent, was arrested in 2024 and charged with espionage and terrorism after crossing the Colombian-Venezuelan border to reunite with his partner and young son.—
Carmen Sesin,
NBC news,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Circumnavigating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circumnavigating. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
