pilot

[pahy-luht] / ˈpaɪ lət /

NOUN

person who guides aircraft, ship, or other vehicle

Synonyms

STRONGEST

aviator captain flier leader navigator

STRONG

ace aerialist aeronaut bellwether conductor coxswain dean director eagle flyer guide jockey lead scout steerer

WEAK

doyen/doyenne helmsperson one at the controls one at the wheel steersperson wheelperson

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

For Meyers, driving Uber or Lyft is his primary source of income—and material for a one-man play he wrote and performs, and hopes to turn into a television pilot.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

In one clip, the Iranian military is shown capturing a downed US fighter-jet pilot.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

To manage traffic and avoid any incidents, "the Americans are the main intermediaries", the pilot said.

From Barron's • Apr. 11, 2026

Artemis II pilot and SoCal native Victor Glover has been thinking about reentry since he was assigned the mission in 2023.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

“Nope!” the pilot responded, when they reached him.

From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone

Vocabulary lists containing pilot

May the 4th Be With You: Star Wars Words

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This Week in Words: September 1 - 7, 2018

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Occupations

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