1
b(1)
: a member of a ship's crew
(2)
2
: a traveler by water
3
: a stiff straw hat with a low flat crown and straight circular brim
Examples of sailor in a Sentence
He worked as a sailor on a cargo ship.
the sailors were glad to be arriving in port after their long voyage
Recent Examples on the Web
Captain James Cook famously credited the health of his sailors to their daily ration of pickled cabbage, a practice that exemplified pickling’s life-saving potential.
—
Literary Hub, 31 Mar. 2026
On Saturday, the USS Tripoli, a naval warship, arrived in the Middle East carrying about 3,500 sailors and Marines and a transport of fighter planes.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
So the biggest problem is that there's just spending like drunken sailors.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
For more than a century, NMCRS has provided financial assistance and education to sailors, Marines and their families.
—Tom Jurkowsky, Baltimore Sun, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sailor
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Literary Hub, 31 Mar. 2026
On Saturday, the USS Tripoli, a naval warship, arrived in the Middle East carrying about 3,500 sailors and Marines and a transport of fighter planes.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
So the biggest problem is that there's just spending like drunken sailors.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
For more than a century, NMCRS has provided financial assistance and education to sailors, Marines and their families.
—Tom Jurkowsky, Baltimore Sun, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sailor
Cite this Entry
“Sailor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sailor. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
