aviator

noun

ˈā-vē-ˌā-tər How to pronounce aviator (audio)
Definition of aviatornext
as in pilot
one who flies or is qualified to fly an aircraft or spacecraft the solo flight from New York to Paris by the aviator Charles Lindbergh captured the imagination of people around the world

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 aviator Instead of anything too clingy or tailored, opt for a more bohemian-style approach with flowy wrap dresses, retro aviator shades, and faux leather sandals that can tackle Paris’ cobblestone streets but still look sleek enough for a beach club in Cannes or Saint-Tropez. — Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 26 June 2026 Over 45 international partners from eight nations, including South Korea, Italy, and Australia, joined US Navy aviators. — Peter Suciu, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 The International Aeronautical Federation in France presented it to her almost two years before fellow aviator Amelia Earhart. — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2026 Axiom Space’s Director of Human Spaceflight and former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson is the mission commander with aviator John Shoffner as pilot and two mission specialist seats paid for by the Saudi Space Commission, Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali AlQarni. — Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for aviator
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aviator
pilot
Noun
  • The search for the opening song stretched into the final weeks before filming, with Kittrell, Dries and pilot director Jason Moore trading ideas over text.
    — Angelina Mazza, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
  • The controversy only exploded the very next week when it was revealed the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) re-implemented a pilot program that bumped every girl who finished behind the trans athlete up by one spot on the podium.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of pilot

Browse Nearby Words

aviation
aviator
aviator glasses
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Aviator.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aviator. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on aviator

Nglish: Translation of aviator for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All