Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
×

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

Thesaurus

sail

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of sail

a journey over water in a vessel
  • We went for a brief sail on the bay to relax.
Synonyms of sail

crossing, cruise, passage, voyage

sail

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of sail

1 to travel on water in a vessel
  • I can't sail when there's any breeze at all because I get seasick easily.
Synonyms of sail

boat, cruise, ferry, navigate, ship (out), voyage
Words Related to sail

canoe, kayak, yacht

coast
Phrases Synonymous with sail

make sail, take ship
2 to move or proceed smoothly and readily
  • sailed through the latest assignment
Synonyms of sail

bowl, breeze, brush, coast, cruise, drift, flow, glide, roll, skim, slide, slip, stream, sweep, whisk
Words Related to sail

fly, race, rush, speed
Near Antonyms of sail

limp, lumber, plod, stumble, trudge

shamble, shuffle

stamp, stomp, stump, tramp

labor, toil
Antonyms of sail

flounder, struggle
3 to rest or move along the surface of a liquid or in the air
  • A leaf sailed by, carried by the breeze.
Synonyms of sail

drift, float, glide, hang, hover, poise, ride, swim, waft
Words Related to sail

bob, dangle, suspend

buoy

balloon, raft
Near Antonyms of sail

dive, lunge, plunge

dip, immerse, submerge, submerse
Antonyms of sail

settle, sink

Learn More about sail

  1. See words that rhyme with sail Dictionary: Definition of sail Spanish Central: Translation of sail Nglish: Translation of sail for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of sail for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sail

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up sail? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

loath

play

unwilling or reluctant

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. charlatan 'faker or fraud'

  2. lowlife 'a person of low moral character'

  3. kakistocracy 'government by the worst people'

  4. slimeball 'a morally repulsive or odious person'

  5. salacious 'arousing or appealing to sexual desire'

SEE ALL

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

alt-5ade0f1ca7a0c
'Complement' vs. 'Compliment'

The distinction is clear (now).

image236659401
Words from Letters in the Greek Alphabet

When English borrows from another alphabet

alt-5ada140ed3e28
'Preventive' or 'Preventative'?

Why not both?

alt-5ad8fc71357ed
Words We're Watching: 'Bluebeard,' the Verb

No, it's not a coiffure trend

Ask the Editors

image1760257654
2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

How we chose 'feminism'

video-title-words-of-the-year-1066
Words of the Year: 1066

Or, Why Pig Meat is Called 'Pork' and Cow Meat is Called 'Beef'

video-literally
Literally

How to use a word that (literally) drives some people nuts.

video-his-or-her
Is Singular 'They' a Better Choice?

The awkward case of 'his or her'

Word Games

image1926873504
Odd Habits and Quirks Quiz

Test your knowledge of strange human behaviors.

Take the quiz
cats-on-impossible-timber
More Confusing Words—Quiz

How many of these commonly confused words do you know?

Take the quiz
Name That Thing
Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

Take the quiz
SCRABBLE® Sprint
SCRABBLE® Sprint

SCRABBLE® fans, sharpen your skills!

Play the game