circumnavigate
verb
cir·cum·nav·i·gate ˌsər-kəm-ˈna-və-ˌgāt 
circumnavigated; circumnavigating; circumnavigates
transitive verb
: to go completely around especially by water
circumnavigate the earth
also : to go around instead of through : bypass
circumnavigate a congested area
circumnavigation
ˌsər-kəm-ˌna-və-ˈgā-shən
noun circumnavigator
ˌsər-kəm-ˈna-və-ˌgā-tər
noun 
Synonyms
- circle
- circuit
- circumvent
- compass
- encircle
- girdle
- orbit
- ring
- round
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
The ship circumnavigated the world. the first ship to circumnavigate the globe
Recent Examples on the Web Along with becoming the youngest person to fly around the world by himself, Rutherford is the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe in a microlight plane. Rutherford stopped in Anchorage in early August. 
Veselin Toshkov, Anchorage Daily News, 24 Aug. 2022 But because hormonal birth control is considered safe and effective, there’s little effort to create new methods that circumnavigate patient concerns. Sarah Sloat, Wired, 15 Aug. 2022 In 2017, professional pilot Shaesta Waiz, the first certified civilian female pilot from Afghanistan, became the youngest woman to circumnavigate the globe. Lucia Cheng, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Aug. 2022 In order to circumnavigate the issue, series editor Dean Zimmerman said the team used editing and digital engineering tricks to insert Montgomery into the scenes with Max. Wilson Chapman, Variety, 26 July 2022 For four or five years, Colliard badgered the venerable Norwegian polar explorer with adoring e-mails, culminating in a bid to join his 2010 effort to circumnavigate the North Pole in a single season. Kelly Bastone, Outside Online, 8 Nov. 2017 Eighty-nine years ago today, on July 22, 1933, Wiley Post became the first aviator to circumnavigate the globe alone. Laura Blasey, Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2022 On a weekly basis, engineers and developers are finding new substitutions and solutions to circumnavigate delays with their usual components. Amelia Arvesen, Outside Online, 11 Feb. 2022 Western nations could circumnavigate a lack of agreement by requiring insurance companies to support the cap. Sophie Mellor, Fortune, 19 July 2022 See More
Veselin Toshkov, Anchorage Daily News, 24 Aug. 2022 But because hormonal birth control is considered safe and effective, there’s little effort to create new methods that circumnavigate patient concerns. Sarah Sloat, Wired, 15 Aug. 2022 In 2017, professional pilot Shaesta Waiz, the first certified civilian female pilot from Afghanistan, became the youngest woman to circumnavigate the globe. Lucia Cheng, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Aug. 2022 In order to circumnavigate the issue, series editor Dean Zimmerman said the team used editing and digital engineering tricks to insert Montgomery into the scenes with Max. Wilson Chapman, Variety, 26 July 2022 For four or five years, Colliard badgered the venerable Norwegian polar explorer with adoring e-mails, culminating in a bid to join his 2010 effort to circumnavigate the North Pole in a single season. Kelly Bastone, Outside Online, 8 Nov. 2017 Eighty-nine years ago today, on July 22, 1933, Wiley Post became the first aviator to circumnavigate the globe alone. Laura Blasey, Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2022 On a weekly basis, engineers and developers are finding new substitutions and solutions to circumnavigate delays with their usual components. Amelia Arvesen, Outside Online, 11 Feb. 2022 Western nations could circumnavigate a lack of agreement by requiring insurance companies to support the cap. Sophie Mellor, Fortune, 19 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Latin circumnavigatus, past participle of circumnavigare to sail around, from circum- + navigare to navigate
First Known Use
1634, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
circumnavigate
verb
cir·cum·nav·i·gate ˌsər-kəm-ˈna-və-ˌgāt
circumnavigated; circumnavigating
: to go completely around (as the earth) especially by water
circumnavigate
verb
1
as in to traverse
to travel completely around the first ship to circumnavigate the globe Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- traverse
- circle
- orbit
- circumvent
- encircle
- cross
- circuit
- round
- ring
- girdle
- circumambulate
- compass
- perambulate
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
- bypass
- circumvent
- avoid
- detour
- escape
- evade
- shun
- skirt
- elude
- dodge
- eschew
- flee
- leapfrog
- shake
- duck
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- meet
- confront
- face
- seek
- pursue
- accept
- embrace
- welcome
- court