sail

1 of 2

noun

ˈsāl How to pronounce sail (audio)
 as last element in compounds often  səl
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
4
: a passage by a sailing craft : cruise
sailed adjective

Illustration of sail

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

sail

2 of 2

verb

sailed; sailing; sails

intransitive verb

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
sails through all sorts of contradictionsVicki Hearne
the 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

transitive verb

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
sailable adjective
Phrases
under sail
: in motion with sails set
sail into
: to attack vigorously or sharply
sailed into me for being late

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The cruise industry is experiencing growth, with a record 35 million people setting sail in 2024. Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2025 Choose a morning sail to look for dolphins and other wildlife, or book an evening cruise to catch sunset at its peak. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 12 Aug. 2025
Verb
The cruise was intended to sail in November from Miami to Mexico—until artists like Dispatch, Maggie Rose, Hirie, and Liz Vice pulled their performances. Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2025 Passengers sailing on Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas shouldn’t ever find themselves in a state of boredom while traveling aboard the world’s largest cruise ship. Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sail

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English segl; akin to Old High German segal sail

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of sail was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sail. Accessed 26 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

sail

1 of 2 noun
ˈsā(ə)l How to pronounce sail (audio)
 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 verb
1
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on sail

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