as in aviators
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
1
as in guides
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 steers
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
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Recent Examples of pilots
Heather Hunter, The Washington Examiner, 18 Sep. 2025
The airline has already announced furloughs and demotions of hundreds of pilots.
—Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 18 Sep. 2025
After no immediate response, the controller chastised the pilots again.
—Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 18 Sep. 2025
Indian investigators’ preliminary report appeared to exonerate Boeing and engine maker GE Aerospace, but some family groups have criticized investigators and the news media as too focused on the pilots’ actions.
—Reuters, NBC news, 18 Sep. 2025
What Real Innovators Do Differently The organizations that actually scale don’t waste time shouting about pilots.
—Aditya Vikram Kashyap, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Seasonal factors, such as heavier winter luggage, require pilots to adjust cargo and passenger placement.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Watch On For each mission simulation, one astronaut pilots the aircraft while another charts the landing area, marking key landmarks, identifying potential hazards and helping to track the flight path.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Noun
While commercial pilots are allowed to use iPads and electronic tablets in the cockpit to access navigation charts and checklists, the tone of the exchange sparked questions about situational awareness in a restricted airspace.
—Heather Hunter, The Washington Examiner, 18 Sep. 2025
The airline has already announced furloughs and demotions of hundreds of pilots.
—Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 18 Sep. 2025
After no immediate response, the controller chastised the pilots again.
—Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 18 Sep. 2025
Indian investigators’ preliminary report appeared to exonerate Boeing and engine maker GE Aerospace, but some family groups have criticized investigators and the news media as too focused on the pilots’ actions.
—Reuters, NBC news, 18 Sep. 2025
What Real Innovators Do Differently The organizations that actually scale don’t waste time shouting about pilots.
—Aditya Vikram Kashyap, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Seasonal factors, such as heavier winter luggage, require pilots to adjust cargo and passenger placement.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
Verb
Maito then pilots one of these robots, called Gaine, and teams up with other mecha to take down the real evil Nouvelle Tokyo City.
—Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Watch On For each mission simulation, one astronaut pilots the aircraft while another charts the landing area, marking key landmarks, identifying potential hazards and helping to track the flight path.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pilots
Noun
-
These moments aren’t staged—they’re glimpses into the culture of young aviators living life on the edge of discipline and rebellion.—
Tony Bradley,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
So the personalities are different but the core motivations and attributes are there for all naval aviators.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The state’s Brown Act, which guides how government meetings function, lists what constitutes disruptive behavior.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
19 Sep. 2025
-
This general framing, which includes diverse activities under a single category, guides investigations and prosecutions.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Barajas steers away from newer methods like using a diffuser or autoclave in her process and uses American whiskey barrels for the product’s 6-month resting process.—
Carley Rojas Ávila,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
-
The majority of long-range computer models (also called spaghetti models) suggest that the storm will follow a familiar track this season — a curve north that steers it clear of the Caribbean and Florida.—
Alex Harris,
Miami Herald,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Spencer is a veteran who is in the Navy Reserves and also coaches youth baseball teams, according to the GiveSendGo post.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 Sep. 2025
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But while Taylor did work for McVay, who coaches the Rams, Callahan never did.—
Nick Suss,
Nashville Tennessean,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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LanzaTech’s process routes industrial gases into special bioreactors containing anaerobic bacteria which consume carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen and produce ethanol, using a fermentation process similar to that of yeast.—
Erik Kobayashi-Solomon,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Consumption is up 30% this year, with passengers on the London, Paris, Sydney, and Moscow routes the biggest consumers.—
Mohammed Sergie,
semafor.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The Other Side of the Contest Award shows focus on who wins, but every contest has another side.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
The trend shows that attackers can leverage emerging AI during the hacking process, including attack scenario planning, malware development, building their tools and to impersonate job recruiters, said Mun Chong-hyun, director at Genians.—
Nino Paoli,
Fortune,
14 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pilots.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pilots. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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