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
Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 6 Nov. 2025
Travelers cruising to Antarctica or the Arctic Circle during their respective summer seasons may experience 24-hour sunlight.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 6 Nov. 2025
Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 7 Nov. 2025
The cruise line also has a dedicated bedbug detection and treatment plan, according to its website.
—Nathan Diller, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cruise
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
Fortuna, one of just 18 vessels crafted by the Italian masterminds as part of its Anniversario collection, will give those lucky few the chance to cruise out onto Lago Di Como for around 45 minutes, taking in the Las Vegas sights and the famed Bellagio fountain from a completely new vantage point.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 6 Nov. 2025
Travelers cruising to Antarctica or the Arctic Circle during their respective summer seasons may experience 24-hour sunlight.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 6 Nov. 2025
Noun
The store, which opened earlier this week, stocks the 2026 cruise collection and classic styles, including the Lady Dior and the Dior Toujours bags.
—Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 7 Nov. 2025
The cruise line also has a dedicated bedbug detection and treatment plan, according to its website.
—Nathan Diller, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cruise
Cite this Entry
“Cruise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cruise. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
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