as in aviator
one who flies or is qualified to fly an aircraft or spacecraft
the airline is seeking experienced pilots to fly the new airplane
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in experimental
made or done as an experiment
a new pilot program to train inner-city residents for jobs in the tech sector
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to guide
to give advice and instruction to (someone) regarding the course or process to be followed
piloted the figure skater through the national championships
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to steer
to point out the way for (someone) especially from a position in front
the lead rider piloted the rest of the team
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of pilot
Bill Pappas,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
The Johnson-Sea-Link was a research submersible with a clear acrylic sphere that gave its pilot and observer a panoramic view of the deep.
—
Bill Gourgey,
Popular Science,
2 July 2026
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
8 Apr. 2026
The show recently received a pilot greenlight at Hulu.
—
Justin Kroll,
Deadline,
26 Mar. 2026
ABC News,
24 June 2026
Sky Helicopter Tours’ Marcelo Andrade, 56, doesn’t show up in the FAA’s Airmen Inquiry as having a certificate to pilot an airplane or a helicopter, or work as a mechanic.
—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for pilot
Noun
However, even the most advanced systems will stay trapped in the pilot stage unless employees are willing to use them.
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Bill Pappas,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
The Johnson-Sea-Link was a research submersible with a clear acrylic sphere that gave its pilot and observer a panoramic view of the deep.
—
Bill Gourgey,
Popular Science,
2 July 2026
Adjective
In 2014, a test flight operated by Scaled Composites, the company that designed and built the spaceplane, crashed and killed co-pilot Michael Alsbury.
—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
8 Apr. 2026
The show recently received a pilot greenlight at Hulu.
—
Justin Kroll,
Deadline,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
Seth Rogen as the voice of a tiny alien co-piloting a space bus is an inspired concoction, as is a shabbier sci-fi realm with rest stops along the intergalactic highway.
—
ABC News,
24 June 2026
Sky Helicopter Tours’ Marcelo Andrade, 56, doesn’t show up in the FAA’s Airmen Inquiry as having a certificate to pilot an airplane or a helicopter, or work as a mechanic.
—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for pilot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pilot
Noun
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Over 45 international partners from eight nations, including South Korea, Italy, and Australia, joined US Navy aviators.
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Rihanna looks radiant in a raspberry jumpsuit and coordinating aviators while shopping in Beverly Hills on June 24.
Adjective
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Martha Skye Murphy, the British experimental singer-songwriter, and her longtime collaborator Roy Montgomery, the New Zealand guitar composer, will release their debut joint album via AD 93 on August 7.
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So the answer scientists came up with was to build some of the biggest, deepest, and most exotic experimental traps in scientific history … and then wait.
Verb
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Queiroz is confident his experience can help guide a team of talented players, many of whom also play in some of the biggest pro leagues in the world.
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Whether the future is guided by a more centralized federal framework or a complex matrix of state-level consumer protections, the race to a multi-billion-dollar digital overhaul is already well underway.
Verb
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The jet stream is a highway of air at high altitudes which steers weather systems.
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This spring, Russert received a call from leadership at MS NOW, steered by former CNN executive Rebecca Kutler.
Adjective
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Here was a government that had explicitly borrowed from Beijing’s developmental playbook and sincerely attempted to imitate it, but failed.
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Before that, people with mental illnesses or developmental and intellectual disabilities were largely confined to institutions.
Verb
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Dusty May's only dream growing up was coaching high school basketball in his home state of Indiana.
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The camp is being led by Geordie Kinnear, who coaches the Charlotte Checkers, the Panthers’ AHL affiliate.
Verb
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In fact, research shows that when given the choice, on-site work remains the least popular option across every age range according to Gallup.
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The younger James, who was drafted in the second round in 2024 to form the first father-son duo in NBA history, showed steady improvement during his second season.
Adjective
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Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche in the new filing defended his agency’s decision to withhold millions of investigative files, saying that releasing more materials would harm Epstein’s victims and the government.
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Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens.
Cite this Entry
“Pilot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pilot. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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