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

Ferrari is building a high-tech sailing yacht for ocean racing, according to a statement shared on Wednesday. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 26 June 2025

And while blank sailings on the trans-Pacific trade lane were common through the tariff turbulence, they’re expected to decrease in the coming weeks. —Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 24 June 2025

Each sailing will have an expedition leader, several field staff, and at least one National Geographic expert onboard. —Jeri Clausing, AFAR Media, 24 June 2025

At the time, Koru was believed to be the largest sailing yacht in the world and features three towering masts, several decks (including one with a pool), and a supporting 250-foot-long yacht with a helipad, according to Boat International. —Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 24 June 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