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

This offer applies to new individual bookings made at standard rates on select sailings departing between now and May 10, 2028, excluding Celebrity river cruises, Galapagos sailings, and Alaska Cruisetours. —Madison Flager, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 June 2026

Even with all the modern tech, the owner still wanted the feel of a classic sailing yacht. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 9 June 2026

Teams like Evans' Xtract One will team up with the security teams of FIFA, local law enforcement and even other agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which will be at games for safety but not customs enforcement, in hopes of as smooth sailing as possible. —Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 9 June 2026

Most sailings include one or two formal nights on their itineraries, where guests are encouraged to dress up. —Rebecca Shinners, Travel + Leisure, 8 June 2026

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