cruised; cruising
1
: to sail about touching at a series of ports
2
: to move or proceed speedily, smoothly, or effortlessly
I'll cruise over to her house to see if she's home
3
: to travel without destination or purpose
4
a
: to go about the streets at random but on the lookout for possible developments
the cabdriver cruised for an hour before being hailed
b
: to search (as in public places) for a sexual partner
5
a
of an airplane
: to fly at the most efficient operating speed
b
of an automobile
: to travel at a speed suitable for being maintained for a long distance
1
: to cruise over or about
2
: to inspect (land) with reference to possible lumber yield
3
a
: to search in (a public place) for a sexual partner
b
: to approach and suggest sexual relations to
4
: to explore or search the offerings of
Examples of cruise in a Sentence
Verb
We cruised for a week down the Yangtze River.
He dreams of cruising the Mediterranean.
The bus was cruising at 55 miles per hour.
We were cruising along the highway.
The plane was cruising at 30,000 feet.
On Friday nights, teenagers cruise the main street in town to show off their cars.
A car cruised past us.
Noun
We went on a weeklong cruise down the Yangtze River.
They went on a cruise for their honeymoon.
Recent Examples on the Web
Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2026
Both teams had cruised to the Final Four, each winning easily in the first four rounds.
—Doug Feinberg, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
Nathan Diller, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
To escape the crowds, Bissig suggests wandering the garden paths of Tenryu-ji Temple or taking a private river cruise for lunch.
—Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cruise
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Verb
The series takes place on a yacht, cruising the coast of Malta.
—Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2026
Both teams had cruised to the Final Four, each winning easily in the first four rounds.
—Doug Feinberg, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
Noun
This list is based on a standard stateroom, before factoring in any complimentary perks from cruise loyalty programs.
—Nathan Diller, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
To escape the crowds, Bissig suggests wandering the garden paths of Tenryu-ji Temple or taking a private river cruise for lunch.
—Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cruise
Cite this Entry
“Cruise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cruise. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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