1. sailed or traveled completely around (an island, continent, or the world)
Usage: past tense of circumnavigate; commonly used in historical and geographical contexts
2. avoided or got around (an obstacle or difficulty) by going around it
Usage: figurative use; less common than the literal sense

Examples

• Ferdinand Magellan's crew circumnavigated the globe in the early 1500s.
• The explorer circumnavigated the African continent by ship.
• She circumnavigated the problem by finding an alternative solution.
• They circumnavigated the island to map its coastline.
• The ship circumnavigated Cape Horn during its voyage.
• He circumnavigated the bureaucratic obstacles with careful planning.