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

The breezes off the Atlantic make Sal a hotspot for kite-surfing, sailing, surfing and wind-surfing. — Kathleen Peddicord, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

Or at least not spend a fortune sailing around and going nowhere. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026

Sunday afternoons were reserved for sailing, my dad’s favorite ritual for our family of four. — Lisa Liu Grady, Christian Science Monitor, 9 July 2026

In 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Stanford downgraded its co-ed varsity sailing program to club status while Brown elevated its club to varsity. — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 8 July 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