sailing

noun

sail·​ing ˈsā-liŋ How to pronounce sailing (audio)
1
a
: the technical skill of managing a ship : navigation
b
: the method of determining the course to be followed to reach a given point
2
a
: the sport of handling or riding in a sailboat
b
: a departure from a port

Examples of sailing in a Sentence

They're going sailing next week.
Recent Examples on the Web From there came a pivot to Kennedy White House vibes, with sailing, swimsuits, and the great outdoors. Jamie Bryan, Rolling Stone, 30 Nov. 2023 Replacing Jimmy Spithill on the wheels of the multimillion-dollar sailing catamaran in Dubai will be U.S. Virgin Islands native Taylor Canfield, a world champion who also resides seasonally in the sailing meccas of Miami and Newport, racing alongside his new boss Ryan McKillen. Gw Allen, Robb Report, 29 Nov. 2023 Clear, calm waters invite swimming, snorkeling, and sailing. Lindsay Cohn, Parents, 28 Nov. 2023 After a day of hiking and sailing, stop by Bostani Spa where treatments are inspired by aromatic herbs and plants, the basis of centuries old Greek remedies. Jordan Riefe, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Nov. 2023 As a kid, when McIntyre wasn’t nestled away reading, she could be found at YMCA Camp Fuller in Rhode Island, swimming, sailing and gossiping. Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 17 Nov. 2023 Princess, for example, uses US dollars onboard virtually all sailings—except for a select few departures in Australia, where Australian dollars are the onboard currency. Scott Laird, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Oct. 2023 Travelers can go kayaking, ziplining, sailing, and windsurfing. Karen I. Chen, Travel + Leisure, 6 Oct. 2023 The sailing departs Miami on Oct. 21, 2024, which also happens to be the day after Swift’s last night in Miami. Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 16 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sailing.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

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

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

Dictionary Entries Near sailing

Cite this Entry

“Sailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sailing. Accessed 11 Dec. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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