as in steering
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1
as in guiding
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 conducting
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
3
as in navigating
to operate or control the course of
managed to pilot the plane to safety despite the failure of the left engine
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of piloting
Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 31 Dec. 2025
Give Charlotte credit for a forward-thinking move rather than auto-piloting into his next contract, but the short-term consequence is that there are no qualified starting centers here.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
With Kinta piloting, and Momo’s psychic powers fused with Aira’s hair abilities, the group makes a desperate attempt to shift the battle in their favor.
—Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2025
Next comes some fancy piloting, the detachment of the thrusters, and then the scavenger ship is effectively so much deadweight in space, at least for now.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 14 Aug. 2025
Given its long range and the high likelihood of operating in an environment compromised by electronic warfare system, the Liutyi is not designed for remote piloting.
—Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 9 Jan. 2026
Two or three more lash machines will soon land in Dallas at Ulta, with whom Luum has been piloting an earlier version of the robot since 2023.
—Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 6 Jan. 2026
Alexan chronicled Paul competing in the Chicago Triathlon, snow skiing, water skiing and even co-piloting an airplane.
—Jeff Banowetz, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
The young women are all cousins, and David — who was piloting the private aircraft — is their uncle, according to a relative’s Facebook post, viewed by PEOPLE.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 5 Jan. 2026
David McCarty, 59, was piloting the MD 369FF chopper, taking his nieces — Rachel McCarty, 23, Faith McCarty, 21, and Katelyn Heideman, 22 — for a ride, The Arizona Republic reported.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 5 Jan. 2026
Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, Kansas City is piloting facial recognition technology on local buses.
—Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 31 Dec. 2025
Retailers are also piloting supplier programs.
—Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 31 Dec. 2025
Children’s Hospital Colorado is also piloting a broader distribution plan, offering naloxone to all families with babies in the neonatal intensive care unit as well as high-risk parents of healthy babies.
—Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 30 Dec. 2025
Noun
Unlike combat F-16s, however, the VISTA carries no weapons and is focused entirely on testing how software can replicate, and eventually surpass, human piloting skills.
—Verb
For Flywing, the X-Wing Fighter represents a deliberate shift in RC design philosophy, one that prioritizes immersion over imagery and piloting over passive viewing.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for piloting
Noun
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The company introduced advances in vehicle motion management, a software platform that coordinates braking, steering, powertrain, and suspension systems.—
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The steering system is gaining popularity internationally and could become much more common in the future.—
Verb
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Mike Vrabel has breathed life into the New England Patriots, guiding them to a 7-2 start while riding a six-game winning streak despite fielding a roster that still has its fair share of deficiencies.—
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Mamdani, 34, is a charismatic socialist who has limited experience in the private sector and seems utterly unconcerned about his guiding philosophy’s long track record of creating misery.—
Verb
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Currently, there are no specifics available regarding the size of area burned or the crew conducting the prescribed fire.—
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The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control is conducting the in-custody death investigation.—
Verb
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In Die My Love, which also stars Robert Pattinson, Lawrence plays Grace, a new mother navigating postpartum depression.—
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There are some rare exceptions, like Dan Bylsma navigating a devastating injury crisis with the Pittsburgh Penguins.—
Noun
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First selected as a 20-year-old for the white-ball series against Australia in 2024, his introduction into the England environment was love at first sight for all the management involved.—
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Austin chef David Bull opened the restaurant at the Crazy Water Hotel in Mineral Wells before that hotel changed management.—
Verb
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After the '23 season, Cignetti accepted the head coaching job at Indiana University, and, because of the then-new lax transfer policy, took more than a dozen of his JMU players with him to Bloomington.—
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The report also stated that LaFleur wasn’t coaching for his job against the Bears in the sense that his future wouldn’t be decided by four quarters.—
Noun
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There are myriad extraordinary animal phenomena in the natural world, from the running of the salmon to the months-long hibernation of bears.—
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Most recently, Lululemon announced a partnership with the Universities 100 Miles Relay, a collegiate running event.—
Noun
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The protest comes amid ongoing unrest in Iran, where demonstrations that began over economic grievances have spread nationwide, evolving into a direct challenge to Iran's clerical leadership.—
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The Panthers conceded 19 points per game with the help of Houston’s leadership, which Harris said is vocal and by example.—
Cite this Entry
“Piloting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piloting. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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