sail 1 of 2

verb

Definition of sailnext
1
as in to boat
to travel on water in a vessel I can't sail when there's any breeze at all because I get seasick easily

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to flow
to move or proceed smoothly and readily sailed through the latest assignment

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to hover
to rest or move along the surface of a liquid or in the air a leaf sailed by, carried by the breeze

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sail

2 of 2

noun

ˈsāl How to pronounce sail (audio)
as in voyage
a journey over water in a vessel we went for a brief sail on the bay to relax

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of sail
Verb
The French superstar winced after a free kick sailed over the goalpost in the 88th minute. — Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 July 2026 The Greeks’ ship was a real ship that sailed across the Mediterranean. — Valentina Colosimo, Vanity Fair, 14 July 2026
Noun
Schettino conducted a sail-by salute near Giglio Island off the coast of Tuscany on January 13, 2012, where a crew member had family, according to the documentary. — Kalia Richardson, USA Today, 10 July 2026 In New York, tall ships, with their masts, rigging and white sails outlined against a blue sky, made a procession around the Statue of Liberty and up the Hudson River. — Steven Sloan, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for sail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sail
  1. boat
  2. flow
  3. hover
  4. voyage
  5. ferry
  6. cruise
  7. float
  8. glide
Verb
  • One of Ontario’s largest inland lakes and a favorite escape north of Toronto, Lake Simcoe has long supported a serious summer cottage culture of boating around its shoreline estates.
    — Spencer Elliott, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
  • Farther afield are a stabling block, paddocks, a boating lake, and unspoiled woodland.
    — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 8 July 2026
Definition of boat
Verb
  • Researchers in China have developed a flowing zinc slurry battery that operated continuously for 5,128 hours, offering a new approach to long-duration energy storage for renewable power systems.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 17 July 2026
  • Just take Stella McCartney’s spring 2004 collection, which featured a flowing, organic dress practically made for a water nymph.
    — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 17 July 2026
Definition of flow
Verb
  • This World Cup has seen the transformation of streets with murals and graffiti, as well as this kite below of Argentina’s jersey that hovers over the streets.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 19 July 2026
  • Ajayi, who hovers at 6-foot-7 and weighs 228-pounds, is a massive specimen who can defend multiple positions.
    — Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 18 July 2026
Definition of hover
Noun
  • That would have amounted to approximately $27 million per voyage for a very large oil tanker, according to shipping association BIMCO.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 15 July 2026
  • Yet, as human spaceflight and voyages beyond Earth-orbit come to prominence once more, with proposals for an outpost on the moon, there is a greater chance of an astronaut being injured and therefore a greater need for medical X-rays in space.
    — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 14 July 2026
Definition of voyage
Verb
  • But airstrikes have recently extended to infrastructure, such as railways that could be used to ferry weapons.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 18 July 2026
  • Musk has boasted SpaceX’s Starship for years as the firm aspires to ferry cargo and humans to the moon and Mars, and at about 400 feet tall, the rocket is considered the largest ever.
    — Ty Roush, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of ferry
Verb
  • Tarik Skubal pitched seven dominant innings, Spencer Torkelson homered twice and drove in four runs, and the Detroit Tigers cruised to a 7-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday night.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 July 2026
  • This is the cruise line’s first year cruising to Alaska, and our first time sailing with MSC.
    — Susan B. Barnes, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 July 2026
Definition of cruise
Verb
  • For something slower-paced, float the Penticton channel that connects Okanagan and Skaha lakes on tube rafts.
    — Maryam Siddiqi, Travel + Leisure, 13 July 2026
  • Others float slowly just below geostationary orbit, listening to the signals emanating from communications and early warning satellites stationed there.
    — Gerry Doyle, Fortune, 13 July 2026
Definition of float
Verb
  • The side of my fork could glide straight through the soft, fluffy stack.
    — Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 17 July 2026
  • Silent and purposeful, the pelicans cut through a raucous chaos of gulls at the end of the wharf and glided on into the marsh.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 July 2026
Definition of glide

Phrases Containing sail

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said uncle
sail
sailboat
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Cite this Entry

“Sail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sail. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on sail

Nglish: Translation of sail for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sail

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