1
as in to traverse
to travel completely around
the first ship to circumnavigate the globe
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Brisbane, Australia/Hong Kong CNN — Chinese warships have been circumnavigating Australia’s coastline for more than three weeks, passing within 200 miles of Sydney, and staging unprecedented live-fire drills on its doorstep with New Zealand.
—
Hilary Whiteman, CNN, 6 Mar. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for circumnavigate
Hilary Whiteman, CNN, 6 Mar. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for circumnavigate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circumnavigate
Verb
-
Weekends can get crowded, but weekdays are quieter, meaning the short, steep hikes to various overlooks—including Old Baldy (the park's most notable hill) will be less traversed.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
18 Apr. 2025
-
Hundreds, if not thousands, of insect species most likely migrate, including dragonflies that cross the Indian Ocean, moths that traverse Australia and plant hoppers that windsurf through East Asia.—
Jesse Greenspan,
Scientific American,
13 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Unlike Revere, who was known as a fierce revolutionary, Dawes might be able to bypass the checkpoint without raising suspicion.—
Ellen Wexler,
Smithsonian Magazine,
18 Apr. 2025
-
But those city-level policies only apply to local police departments — if a county sheriff's office signs a 287(g) agreement, that can bypass local laws.—
Julia Ingram,
CBS News,
18 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 2025, anticipate a more surgical integration of AI with real-world systems, sparking innovation built on the increasingly sophisticated replication of agentic workloads, or else technology circumventing the need for AI altogether.—
Ruth Foxe Blader,
Forbes.com,
17 Apr. 2025
-
Lutnick said a comprehensive approach was needed so that small nations could not be used by larger countries to circumvent the tariffs.—
Douglas Gillison, Ted Hesson,
USA Today,
6 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The exoplanet was discovered in 2015 by NASA's Kepler space telescope and is one of two orbiting K2-18.—
George Petras,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
-
During that time, the orbiting planet passed in front of the star.—
Daniel Apai,
The Conversation,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Houston threw numbers behind the ball for most of the game to avoid getting hit by the deadly counterattacks and transitions KC has been known for.—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
20 Apr. 2025
-
Get to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building and avoid windows.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Kanda, a small town encircled by mountains on Japan’s southeast coast, is hundreds of miles from any major centers of business or politics.—
River Akira Davis,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2025
-
The dial blends with the knurled platinum bezel encircling the 36mm stainless steel case.—
Anthony DeMarco,
Forbes.com,
1 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The only way to cross it and not be seen was to first hike a couple of hundred yards toward the lake so that the very pine lot the tom was in would block his view.—
Thomas Weddle,
Outdoor Life,
17 Apr. 2025
-
In 2023, there were some days when more than 10,000 people crossed.—
Jason Allen,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Circumnavigate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circumnavigate. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share