as in aviator
one who flies or is qualified to fly an aircraft or spacecraft
the airline is seeking experienced pilots to fly the new airplane
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in experimental
made or done as an experiment
a new pilot program to train inner-city residents for jobs in the tech sector
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to guide
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 to steer
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
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 pilot
Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 12 Apr. 2025
Five members of a Spanish family and the pilot all died.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 12 Apr. 2025
Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 23 July 2024
The pilot episode of Hazbin Hotel was released in 2019 on YouTube, but the first season premiered on Jan. 18 on Amazon Prime.
—Xander Zellner, Billboard, 31 Jan. 2024
Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 2 Apr. 2025
Sethu and Gatwa’s pairing means that two people of color will pilot the Tardis for the first time in Doctor Who’s history.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pilot
Noun
But for pilot Bob Stark of Boca Raton, the acrobatic twists and turns of doing stunts in the sky is his passion.
—Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 12 Apr. 2025
Five members of a Spanish family and the pilot all died.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 12 Apr. 2025
Adjective
Tom Chitty Like a pilot episode of a TV series to see what the reaction is.
—Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 23 July 2024
The pilot episode of Hazbin Hotel was released in 2019 on YouTube, but the first season premiered on Jan. 18 on Amazon Prime.
—Xander Zellner, Billboard, 31 Jan. 2024
Verb
The Switch 2, which can be used handheld or connected to a television, allows players to race go-karts piloted by characters from the company’s entertainment franchises: Mario, Yoshi, Princess Peach.
—Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 2 Apr. 2025
Sethu and Gatwa’s pairing means that two people of color will pilot the Tardis for the first time in Doctor Who’s history.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pilot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pilot
Noun
-
With aviators on, hair thickly gelled and a crisp white uniform, Iceman is a smooth-talking pilot with skills to match.—
Hank Sanders,
New York Times,
2 Apr. 2025
-
Judge Settle also called out the Trump administration for seemingly disregarding the service history of the transgender soldiers who brought the case, such as the Commander Emily Shilling, a naval aviator with 19 years of service who flew 60 combat missions before becoming a Navy test pilot.—
Peter Charalambous,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Ringwald on the other hand, thought Claire would have taken her own, more experimental path.—
Rachel Flynn,
People.com,
12 Apr. 2025
-
Researchers have discovered an experimental medication that significantly reduces a cholesterol-like particle that can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.—
Shiv Sudhakar,
FOXNews.com,
12 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Our customers seek to be informed, guided and cared for.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
14 Apr. 2025
-
Sophisticated learning tools now guide workers through financial literacy, supply chain management basics, and other adjacent skills—paving the way for internal mobility in ways that were previously out of reach, especially for deskless or mobile workers.—
Rhett Power,
Forbes.com,
13 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
In 1942, current Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D-CA) grandfather, William Newsom, steered Pat Brown’s campaign for district attorney.—
Carson Becker,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Mar. 2025
-
The relocation will steer the festival toward a new era.—
Matt Brennan,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The device also has a swiveling head that navigates corners, and LED headlights illuminate hidden dust bunnies.—
Clara McMahon,
People.com,
18 Apr. 2025
-
Cleaner Heads: Since every home is bound to have some tight spaces and nooks that are hard to reach, most vacuums in this list have motorized brush rolls as well as rotating cleaner heads to thoroughly clean and navigate through your space.—
Terri Williams,
Architectural Digest,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The team already took a developmental pass-rusher in the first round last year, so the pick could be used more wisely in 2025.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Apr. 2025
-
As developmental psychologist Robert Kegan shows in his research on adult development and organizational complexity, leaders sometimes conflate decisiveness with speed.—
Michael Hudson,
Forbes.com,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Summitt coached Harper during her collegiate career, from 1995-98.—
Kevin Utz,
Kansas City Star,
9 Apr. 2025
-
Along with Florida, Duke and Auburn were coached, respectively, by Jon Scheyer and Bruce Pearl, both of whom are Jewish.—
Ben Sales,
Sun Sentinel,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Monday's filing showed the investigations began April 1 and the tariffs would be imposed under the authority of Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, which grants the president such power to protect national security.—
John Bacon,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2025
-
The Left has long been focused on the Vidal–Buckley exchange—nearly ten of the 80 to 90 minutes of the recent PBS documentary was dedicated to it—but never shows or talks about the Panama Canal debate.—
Doug Ducey,
National Review,
14 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pilot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pilot. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share