sail 1 of 2

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

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2
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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sail

2 of 2

noun

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
Swain’s pass sailed long, but Weaver somehow corralled it and called a timeout before stepping out of bounds. Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 26 Jan. 2026 One of the problems here is this ship may have already sailed, but there’s also the concern that many of the witnesses to whatever happened on Saturday were apparently brought down to the federal building. Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Noun
The vessel will be one of several new ships hitting the world’s oceans that are fitted with huge sails, which can reduce fuel consumption and provide a more tranquil onboard experience. Paul Brady, Travel + Leisure, 20 Jan. 2026 Standing at around one metre tall and less than half a metre in diameter, it is designed to integrate into existing rigging without interfering with sails or deck operations. Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 20 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sail
Verb
  • However, snow sports do not bring a large amount of money to the state’s economy compared to other outdoor activities like boating, RVing and hunting.
    Sasha Allen, Hartford Courant, 24 Jan. 2026
  • In 2028, the port will host six boating and sailing events during the Summer Olympic Games.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • This sets a self-regulating Eddington limit, which is, in essence, a speed limit on how fast gas can flow in.
    Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 23 Jan. 2026
  • Transparency and clarity — not to mention paying on time — are key to getting the vendor community back on board and the merchandise flowing again to stores.
    David Moin, Footwear News, 23 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • When temperatures hover around the freezing point, water under or in the pavement freezes and expands, pushing up on the road and stressing it in all directions.
    Miriam Fauzia, Dallas Morning News, 29 Jan. 2026
  • Morning temps in Austin will hover near freezing, but afternoon highs will remain relatively mild, reaching the 50s from the Panhandle to the coast.
    Mary Wasson, Austin American Statesman, 29 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • First-timers may be surprised to learn that not everything is included on their voyage.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 28 Jan. 2026
  • This was a place where other Asians also found a home, notably lascars from India and East Africa, and ayahs abandoned by their English employers after the long sea voyage.
    Hari Kunzru, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Manned semisubmersibles built in clandestine jungle shipyards have been used for decades to ferry cocaine north from Colombia, the world's biggest cocaine producer, to Central America or Mexico.
    CBS News, CBS News, 26 Jan. 2026
  • One of the most striking moments in the film is that of the cars of the Disneyland Railroad being ferried on trucks past downtown’s City Hall, a reminder that Disneyland, no matter its influences, its stewards or its changes, is a Southern California original.
    Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • When the snowstorms come, or even ice, many drivers opt to hit the highways as opposed to cruising through the main city streets.
    Cheyenne Derksen, Oklahoman, 23 Jan. 2026
  • Both companies were hit hard by the pandemic, when cruising ground to a halt.
    Kevin Rozario, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The committee floated a proposal to implement new requirements for where these businesses can be built in relation to each other, and to strengthen pre-existing requirements.
    Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Jan. 2026
  • His administration is also buying housing bonds and floated the idea of a 50-year mortgage in an effort to bring down the cost of homeownership.
    Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 13 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Covering the early 20th century through the present, gliding back and forth between eras with the deftest touch, the film views the living as merely the latest iteration of a fragile species that has been constantly struggling against unseen forces that drag it down, generation after generation.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026
  • Grab a crab cocktail, whirl around on the vintage carousel, or set sail on a scenic bay cruise beneath the Golden Gate Bridge, gliding past the city’s iconic skyline.
    Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Sail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sail. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.

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