circumnavigates

Travels completely around

Circumnavigates means to travel completely around something, especially by water or air.

The word most often applies to sailing around the world: Magellan's expedition was the first to circumnavigate the globe.

It extends to going around any large area or obstacle: The highway circumnavigates the city.

Figuratively, to circumnavigate a problem is to find a way around it rather than addressing it directly.

maritime

voyage

Journey by sea

  • sailingWind-propelled water travel
  • shipSeagoing transport vessel
  • oceanMassive saltwater body

seas · captain · vessel · route · passage · globe · nautical · maritime · helm · crew

exploration

Magellan

journey · world · globe · pioneer · historic · exploration · uncharted · adventure · feat · first

figurative

bypasses

Goes around instead

  • avoidsDeliberately stays away from
  • skirtsLower-body garments for women
  • evadesAvoids by cunning

sidesteps · maneuvers · navigates · outflanks · detours · dodges · circumvents · obstacles · barriers · rules

aviation

flight

Aerial journey by aircraft

  • aircraftAirborne transportation vehicle
  • pilotOne who steers aircraft
  • soloPerformance by one

Earhart · nonstop · aviator · airborne · altitude · refueling · cockpit · wingspan · aerial · jetstream

Opposites
path directness

circumnavigatescuts through

Divides by passing through

beelines · bisects · shortcuts · penetrates · pierces

completeness of journey

circumnavigatesturns back

Moves to face behind

gives up · retreats · aborts

movement vs. stasis

circumnavigatesstays put

Remains in place

stands still · stays in place · anchors · settles

Family

circumnavigate, circumnavigation, circumnavigating, circumnavigator, circumnavigated, circumnavigators

Familiarity
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Used worldwide · Timeless · Everyday, not technical · Rated G