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

What To Know Open-source ship-tracking data from the online service MarineTraffic shows the Nimitz sailing in the South China Sea near Singapore on a northeast course on Friday after operating in the Indian Ocean earlier in the week and transiting the Strait of Malacca. —Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025

In the summer, its calm, expansive waters are popular for sailing and waterskiing — the latter of which was invented on the lake in 1922. —Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 14 Oct. 2025

Fares vary based on numerous factors, from cruise line type to cabin category – and sailing date. —Nathan Diller, USA Today, 14 Oct. 2025

However, historians note Columbus actually intended to sail to India, mistakenly thinking sailing west would offer a quicker route to South Asia from Western Europe, according to PBS. —Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 12 Oct. 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