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

Those on board the world’s largest sailing yacht are in for a good night’s sleep. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 2 July 2026

Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison is an avid yacht racer and formed the sailing league SailGP, which is expected to see its first team with a $100 million valuation by the end of this year, according to league CEO and cofounder Sir Russell Coutts. — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 2 July 2026

Paraiso also has a partnership with Seven Moons, an exclusive flotilla experience sailing through Greece’s Ionian Sea from July 18-25. — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 2 July 2026

The internet is full of guides to retrofitting an existing canoe with sailing rigs, but most of them require you to drill into the hull—a risky alteration for less crafty owners. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 2 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