Illustration of sail
- 1 flying jib
- 2 jib
- 3 forestaysail
- 4 foresail
- 5 fore gaff-topsail
- 6 main-topmast staysail
- 7 mainsail
- 8 main gaff-topsail
1
a(1)
: an extent of fabric (such as canvas) by means of which wind is used to propel a ship through water
(2)
: the sails of a ship
b
plural usually sail
: a ship equipped with sails
2
: an extent of fabric used in propelling a wind-driven vehicle (such as an iceboat)
3
: something that resembles a sail
especially
: a streamlined conning tower on a submarine
sailed; sailing; sails
1
a
: to travel on water in a ship
b
: yacht
2
a
: to travel on water by the action of wind upon sails or by other means
b
: to move or proceed easily, gracefully, nonchalantly, or without resistance
sails through all sorts of contradictions—
Vicki Hearne
Vicki Hearnethe bill sailed through the legislature
c
: to move through the air
the ball sailed over his head
3
: to begin a water voyage
sail with the tide
1
a
: to travel on (water) by means of motive power (such as sail)
sail the ocean
b
: to glide through
2
: to direct or manage the motion of
sail a ship
Examples of sail in a Sentence
Noun
Wind filled the sails and our journey had begun.
raising and lowering the ship's sails
a sail to San Francisco
Verb
We'll sail along the coast.
He sailed around the world on a luxury liner.
She sailed the Atlantic coastline.
She's sailing a boat in tomorrow's race.
The ship was sailed by a crew of 8.
I've been sailing since I was a child.
a ship that has sailed the seven seas
We sat on the shore watching boats sail by.
We sail at 9 a.m. tomorrow.
They sail for San Francisco next week.
Recent Examples on the Web
Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
Researchers set sail in January 2019 for a 49-day expedition aboard the South African polar research vessel SA Agulhas II.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025
David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2025
One of those mistakes came when star tight end Travis Kelce saw a pass from Patrick Mahomes sail off of his hands and directly into the waiting arms of veteran linebacker Bobby Wagner.
—Andrew McCarty, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sail
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
In a nutshell, the Trojan prince Paris sails to Sparta to capture Helen, the beautiful wife of the king of Sparta, Menelaus.
—Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
Researchers set sail in January 2019 for a 49-day expedition aboard the South African polar research vessel SA Agulhas II.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025
Verb
But, that boat suddenly left the group and sailed into the path of the barge, Palomares said.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2025
One of those mistakes came when star tight end Travis Kelce saw a pass from Patrick Mahomes sail off of his hands and directly into the waiting arms of veteran linebacker Bobby Wagner.
—Andrew McCarty, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sail
Cite this Entry
“Sail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sail. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sail
1 of 2 noun
ˈsā(ə)l 
as last element in compounds often səl
1
a
: a sheet of fabric (as canvas) used to catch wind to move a craft through water or over ice
b
: the sails of a ship
under full sail
c
plural usually sail
: a ship with sails
2
: something like a sail
3
: a journey by ship
sail
2 of 2 verb1
: to travel on water in a ship
sail the seas
2
: to travel by a sailing craft
3
: to move or glide along
sailed into the room
4
: to manage the sailing of
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