traverse

16 synonyms for traverse, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Verb — To travel across or through something, often under difficult conditions.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

cover cross track deny

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

span sweep

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

trave transom get over crossbeam traversal pass over crosspiece get across cut across cut through

Synonyms by Meaning

1. verb

To travel across or through something, often under difficult conditions.

“The climbers traversed the icy ridge before reaching the summit.”

cover cross track deny span sweep trave transom get over crossbeam traversal pass over crosspiece get across cut across cut through

2. noun

A route or path that crosses an area, especially in mountaineering.

“The trail includes a narrow traverse along the cliff face.”

crosspiece crossbeam traversal transom trave

How to use traverse

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

traverse a mountain traverse the terrain

Etymology

From Old French traverser, from Latin trans ("across") plus versus, the past participle of vertere ("to turn").

Full origin of traverse →

Frequently asked questions

What does “traverse” mean?

The word “traverse” means to travel across or through something, often under difficult conditions. In plain terms, to cross or travel across something, often a difficult route, or the path itself.

How do you pronounce “traverse”?

“Traverse” is pronounced truh-VURS (/tɹəˈvɝs/ in IPA).

How do you use “traverse” in a sentence?

Here is “traverse” used in a sentence: “The climbers traversed the icy ridge before reaching the summit.”

What part of speech is “traverse”?

Depending on how it is used, “traverse” can be a verb and a noun.

Where does the word “traverse” come from?

The word “traverse” comes from Latin. From Old French traverser, from Latin trans ("across") plus versus, the past participle of vertere ("to turn").

Is “traverse” a common word?

“Traverse” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

How many meanings does “traverse” have?

“Traverse” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to travel across or through something, often under difficult conditions.

Related words

Grand Traverse County Grand Traverse disease Little Traverse Traverse City Traverse County Tyrolean traverse girdle traverse hand traverse traversal traverse drill traverse jury traverse sailing traverse table traversive travis

People also searched

cover cross track deny span sweep trave crosspiece transom traversal crossbeam

Nearby words

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