tra·verse
trə-ˈvərs 
also tra-ˈvərs,
or
ˈtra-(ˌ)vərs
traversed; traversing
1
a
: to go or travel across or over
b
: to move or pass along or through
light rays traversing a crystal
2
: to make a study of : examine
3
: to lie or extend across : cross
the bridge traverses a brook
4
a
: to move to and fro over or along
b
: to ascend, descend, or cross (a slope or gap) at an angle
c
: to move (a gun) to right or left on a pivot
5
6
: to make or carry out a survey of by using traverses
1
: to move back and forth or from side to side
2
: to move or turn laterally : swivel
3
a
: to climb at an angle or in a zigzag course
b
: to ski across rather than straight down a hill
4
: to make a survey by using traverses
traverser
noun
1
: something that crosses or lies across
3
: a formal denial of a matter of fact alleged by the opposing party in a legal pleading
4
a
: a compartment or recess formed by a partition, curtain, or screen
b
: a gallery or loft providing access from one side to another in a large building
5
: a route or way across or over: such as
a
: a zigzag course of a sailing ship with contrary winds
b
: a curving or zigzag way up a steep grade
c
: the course followed in traversing
6
: the act or an instance of traversing : crossing
7
: a protective projecting wall or bank of earth in a trench
8
a
: a lateral movement (as of the saddle of a lathe carriage)
also
: a device for imparting such movement
b
: the lateral movement of a gun about a pivot or on a carriage to change direction of fire
9
: a line surveyed across a plot of ground
tra·verse
ˈtra-(ˌ)vərs
trə-ˈvərs
trə-ˈvərs
tra-ˈvərs
: lying across : transverse
Synonyms
Examples of traverse in a Sentence
Verb
The candidates traversed the state throughout the campaign.
The river traverses the county.
Recent Examples on the Web
David Zipper, Vox, 13 Nov. 2024
Storm surge, wind and rain should subside on the island Wednesday night as Rafael traverses the Gulf of Mexico.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024
Stephanie Pearson, WIRED, 25 July 2024
The trip would see the duo aim to become the first ever to finish a single-day traverse of all five icy granite towers of the Devils Thumb massif, located in the Stikine Ranges mountain range that straddle the Alaska-British Columbia border.
—Amy Woodyatt, CNN, 27 Oct. 2024
Kathleen Rellihan, Outside Online, 3 Oct. 2024
As the two traverse Poland, emotions and laughter score their reconnection.
—Emily Maskell, Vulture, 3 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for traverse 
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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Verb
New high-capacity roadways traversed forests and farmland, often terminating at what was then the urban edge.
—David Zipper, Vox, 13 Nov. 2024
Storm surge, wind and rain should subside on the island Wednesday night as Rafael traverses the Gulf of Mexico.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024
Noun
This ride has some flow trail and a respectable 3-mile loop of tight wooded singletrack made up of rough bedrock traverses, dirt berms, and some rocky technical features.
—Stephanie Pearson, WIRED, 25 July 2024
The trip would see the duo aim to become the first ever to finish a single-day traverse of all five icy granite towers of the Devils Thumb massif, located in the Stikine Ranges mountain range that straddle the Alaska-British Columbia border.
—Amy Woodyatt, CNN, 27 Oct. 2024
Adjective
The roots of via ferratas come from World War I, when climbing routes were strategically created by the Italian army as a way to evade attacks and traverse jagged peaks in the Dolomite Mountains.
—Kathleen Rellihan, Outside Online, 3 Oct. 2024
As the two traverse Poland, emotions and laughter score their reconnection.
—Emily Maskell, Vulture, 3 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for traverse
Dictionary Entries Near traverse
Cite this Entry
“Traverse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/traverse. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
traverse
1 of 3 noun
trav·erse
ˈtra-vərs
1
: something that crosses or lies across
2
: a curved or zigzag path along the face of a steep slope
3
: the act or an instance of traversing
stopped to rest in their traverse of the mountain
traverse
2 of 3 verb
tra·verse
trə-ˈvərs
traversed; traversing
1
: to go against : oppose
2
a
: to pass through, across, or over
traversed the historic fields
b
: to lie or extend across
a bridge traverses the river
3
: to make a study of : examine
4
: to move back and forth or from side to side
pedestrians traversing the busy intersection
5
: to climb or ski at an angle or in a zigzag course
traverse
3 of 3 adjective
trav·erse
ˈtra-(ˌ)vərs,
trə-ˈvərs
: lying across : transverse
Legal Definition
traverse
1 of 2 noun
tra·verse
ˈtra-ˌvərs, trə-ˈvərs
: a denial of a matter of fact alleged in the opposing party's pleadings
also
: a pleading in which such a denial is made
traverse
2 of 2 transitive verb
tra·verse
trə-ˈvərs, ˈtra-ˌvərs
: to deny (as an allegation of fact or an indictment) in a legal proceeding
Etymology
Transitive verb
Anglo-French traverser, literally, to lay across, bar, impede, from Old French, from Late Latin transversare to cross, from Latin transversus lying across
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