sailing

noun

sail·​ing ˈsā-liŋ 

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

Ask your concierge to book you a sailing trip on the electric llaüt—a traditional Mallorcan boat historically used for fishing. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Jan. 2026

Tours run from 7 to 17 days and include sailings down the Nile. —Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 2 Jan. 2026

The sailing – entering its ninth year in 2026 – celebrates the beloved franchise with activities ranging from actor panels to Klingon karaoke and science seminars. —Josh Rivera, USA Today, 31 Dec. 2025

Viking Mira debuts in June with Mediterranean sailings between Rome and Barcelona, while Viking Libra follows in December with a season of Greek Isles roundtrips from Athens. —David Dickstein, Oc Register, 31 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing sailing

• clear sailing
• plain sailing
• sailing ship
• smooth sailing

Rhymes for sailing

• ailing
• bailing
• baling
• failing
• flailing
• grayling
• hailing
• jailing
• mailing
• nailing
• paling
• railing