Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Suitable for ships or boats to travel on or through: Describes a body of water, such as a river, channel, or sea, that is deep, wide, or clear enough for vessels to pass safely.
   • Capable of being steered or directed: In a broader sense, can describe something (like an airship or a path) that can be successfully guided or traversed.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective:
  • The river is only navigable by small boats during the dry season.
  • Engineers dredged the harbor to keep it navigable for large cargo ships.
  • The new canal created a navigable link between the two lakes.

Advanced Usage

• "Navigable waters": A legal and geographical term for waterways that are legally open and physically suitable for public use by vessels.
  • Commercial fishing is permitted in all navigable waters.
• "Navigable airspace": The area of the atmosphere above a certain altitude that is open and safe for aircraft to travel through.
  • The flight plan was approved for all navigable airspace along the route.

Variants and Related Words

• Navigate (verb): To plan and direct the route or course of a ship, aircraft, or other vehicle.
  • The captain will navigate the ship through the narrow strait.
• Navigation (noun): The process or activity of accurately ascertaining one's position and planning and following a route.
  • Modern cars rely on satellite navigation.
• Navigability (noun): The quality or condition of being navigable.
  • The navigability of the river is affected by seasonal droughts.

Synonyms

• Passable: Capable of being traveled along or through.
• Traversable: Able to be crossed or traveled across.

Related Phrases

• "Make navigable": To modify or clear a waterway so that vessels can use it.
  • The project aims to make the estuary navigable for tourism.
• "Remain navigable": To continue to be safe and usable for vessel traffic.
  • Despite the storm, the main channel remained navigable.

Adjective

1. able to be sailed on or through safely
   • navigable waters
   • a navigable channel