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 Mirzakhani became obsessed with these circumnavigating curves. Joseph Howlett, Quanta Magazine, 3 Mar. 2025 But for a guy who lives on a private island, kitesurfs with Barack Obama, and unearths new properties primarily by circumnavigating the planet via hot-air balloon, Sir Richard is surprisingly egalitarian. Heidi Mitchell, Robb Report, 28 Feb. 2025 There is no road that circumnavigates the perimeter, at least not easily navigable by car, so being on one side of the island tends to root you there. Lauren Mowery, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025 Our goal was to circumnavigate Oregon’s second-tallest and least-explored volcano. The Editors, Outside Online, 22 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for circumnavigate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circumnavigate
Verb
  • Glass surfaces, traversed by gentle waves, evoke the depth of water and its ever-changing reflections, offering a constantly evolving visual expression.
    Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Kenna Forde has also pegged Japanese label Shushu/Tong for Lower, the Japanese brand that traverses the hyper-feminine and more subversive, sensual takes on corporate wear that harks back to Helly.
    Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 6 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem issued the first waiver of the administration to speed President Trump’s border wall, bypassing environmental regulations to aid construction.
    Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 8 Apr. 2025
  • That includes using a skin patch, gel, or vaginal ring that allows hormones to absorb through the skin and into the bloodstream, bypassing the liver.
    Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 7 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Hiking here rewards you with panoramic views of the coastline, where hawks circle overhead and the scent of sagebrush floats on the breeze.
    Cliff Lewis, Oc Register, 4 Apr. 2025
  • The boys board a rescue boat and pull five souls off the Flicka’s rescue dinghy, all while sharks circle and buck.
    Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 2 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • In August, de Moraes increased the financial penalties and implemented a nationwide ban on X. Musk briefly circumvented the ban through Starlink, which provides internet service to many Brazilians, but he was evidently rattled.
    Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
  • European companies might circumvent President Donald Trump's anti-diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) program, a legal expert has told Newsweek.
    Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Traditionally, the southern sports world orbits around football but the 2024-25 season saw the SEC take over the mantle of best basketball conference in the nation.
    Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2025
  • The 25-year-old regulations constrain next-generation satellite services and protect radio spectrum access for older, geostationary satellites at the expense of low-Earth orbiting systems like Starlink, the company alleged.
    Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 4 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Facing the Marlins for the second time in a week, the Mets (7-3) avoided facing ace Sandy Alcantara, with the 2022 Cy Young Award winner having been added to the paternity list earlier in the day.
    Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2025
  • In another legend, the monk was said to have cut off his eyelids to avoid falling asleep during his meditation, one explanation for the doll’s wide-eyed stare.
    Rebecca Cairns, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Russia, with North Korean military support, has systematically targeted Ukrainian supply routes and is threatening to encircle Ukrainian troops in the region.
    Katya Soldak, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
  • The park’s namesake lake, which is lovely and clear, is encircled by a hiking-and-backpacking trail that also makes room for mountain bikers along the way.
    Casey Barber, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Metro Police were forced to shut down 14th street, a major road across the National Mall, because so many pedestrians were crossing.
    Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 5 Apr. 2025
  • The advisory recommends placing devices in airplane mode before crossing to prevent unintended downloads of remote files, which could complicate screenings.
    Mohammed Tawfeeq, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Circumnavigate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circumnavigate. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.

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