Illustration of sail
- 1 flying jib
- 2 jib
- 3 forestaysail
- 4 foresail
- 5 fore gaff-topsail
- 6 main-topmast staysail
- 7 mainsail
- 8 main gaff-topsail
1
a(1)
: an extent of fabric (such as canvas) by means of which wind is used to propel a ship through water
(2)
: the sails of a ship
b
plural usually sail
: a ship equipped with sails
2
: an extent of fabric used in propelling a wind-driven vehicle (such as an iceboat)
3
: something that resembles a sail
especially
: a streamlined conning tower on a submarine
sailed; sailing; sails
1
a
: to travel on water in a ship
b
: yacht
2
a
: to travel on water by the action of wind upon sails or by other means
b
: to move or proceed easily, gracefully, nonchalantly, or without resistance
My father sailed through Harvard in three years …—
Roger Angell
Roger Angellthe bill sailed through the legislature
c
: to move through the air
the ball sailed over his head
3
: to begin a water voyage
sail with the tide
1
a
: to travel on (water) by means of motive power (such as sail)
sail the ocean
b
: to glide through
2
: to direct or manage the motion of
sail a ship
Examples of sail in a Sentence
Noun
Wind filled the sails and our journey had begun.
raising and lowering the ship's sails
a sail to San Francisco
Verb
We'll sail along the coast.
He sailed around the world on a luxury liner.
She sailed the Atlantic coastline.
She's sailing a boat in tomorrow's race.
The ship was sailed by a crew of 8.
I've been sailing since I was a child.
a ship that has sailed the seven seas
We sat on the shore watching boats sail by.
We sail at 9 a.m. tomorrow.
They sail for San Francisco next week.
Recent Examples on the Web
Susan B. Barnes, Southern Living, 3 Dec. 2025
Setting sail in 2026, the cruise departs from Miami and ends in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, and attendees will spend four nights enjoying watch parties, panels, live podcast tapings and more.
—Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 1 Dec. 2025
Susan B. Barnes, Southern Living, 3 Dec. 2025
During the roughly 90-minute flight, 20 footballs sailed out of bounds and dropped into the void, scattering across the landscape below.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sail
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Noun
In addition to these five new ships that set sail in Florida in November, Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth embarked on her maiden Caribbean voyage in October.
—Susan B. Barnes, Southern Living, 3 Dec. 2025
Setting sail in 2026, the cruise departs from Miami and ends in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, and attendees will spend four nights enjoying watch parties, panels, live podcast tapings and more.
—Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 1 Dec. 2025
Verb
Star Princess, which accommodates up to 4,300 guests, is sailing seven- to 14-day itineraries to the Caribbean and Bahamas from Port Everglades through April 2026 before setting off for Alaska for seven-day Inside Passage cruises for Summer 2026.
—Susan B. Barnes, Southern Living, 3 Dec. 2025
During the roughly 90-minute flight, 20 footballs sailed out of bounds and dropped into the void, scattering across the landscape below.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sail
Cite this Entry
“Sail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sail. Accessed 5 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sail
1 of 2 noun
ˈsā(ə)l 
as last element in compounds often səl
1
a
: a sheet of fabric (as canvas) used to catch wind to move a craft through water or over ice
b
: the sails of a ship
under full sail
c
plural usually sail
: a ship with sails
2
: something like a sail
3
: a journey by ship
sail
2 of 2 verb1
: to travel on water in a ship
sail the seas
2
: to travel by a sailing craft
3
: to move or glide along
sailed into the room
4
: to manage the sailing of
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