sailing

1 of 2

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

sailing

2 of 2

present participle of sail entry 2

Examples of sailing in a Sentence

Noun

They're going sailing next week.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

If the game had ended with Underwood’s pass sailing out of the end zone, Michigan might have gotten at least a modicum of sympathy. — Austin Meek, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Windstar’s fleet has an array of options to fit any travel style, offering both sailing yachts and all-suite yachts across its Greece voyages. — Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Sep. 2026

Once a coaling station for ships of the British Empire sailing to India, Perim’s imperial past is still visible in its crumbling ruins. — Nic Robertson, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2026

Paramount backer Larry Ellison, whose son, David, is the company’s CEO, is a sailing enthusiast and funder of SailGP. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

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