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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
Such leads belong informally to the scientists who discover them, but there’s nothing to stop a rogue taxonomist from sailing in with the Jolly Roger at full-mast. — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026 On one of their last nights in Paris, all the beginners' French students piled onto a boat that would sail them back and forth across the Seine. — ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
Noun
Each cutter was required to be built domestically, and each was equipped with specific weapons and equipment, down to the same number of inches of cloth for its sails. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 July 2026 One or two people in the back steer with a hand blade, while someone sits in a net to pull or release the sail depending on the wind. — Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 22 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
  • Despite growing up on a farm and initially fearing water, his girlfriend Carmen Mundt introduced him to boating, and team principal Toto Wolff to freediving.
    — Bill Springer, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Jennifer Aniston enjoys a boating summer vacation in Mallorca, Spain, with her partner Jim Curtis on July 27.
    — People Staff, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of boat
Verb
  • After Klee announced his death on July 25, tributes flowed on social media for the little dog whose cancer diagnosis was revealed in May.
    — Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Quixotic aerialists twisted, turned and unfolded above the crowd, using flowing fabric and butterfly-inspired movements to mirror the creatures being celebrated.
    — Sophia Buonpane, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of flow
Verb
  • As a result, the average restaurant profit margin now hovers between a precarious 3% and 5%, and industry data suggests that up to 42% of restaurants are currently struggling just to stay in the black.
    — Robert Messer, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • With the global benchmark for oil currently hovering near $90 per barrel, China’s dramatic dip in oil exports—by close to 4 million barrels daily—is the biggest reason why prices aren’t much higher.
    — Jordan Blum, Fortune, 31 July 2026
Definition of hover
Noun
  • Twelve hours into the Empress’s voyage, the ship collided with the SS Størsad, and1,012 passengers died instantly.
    — Claire Carusillo, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The Mutiara Sentosa 2 serves the Surabaya-Makassar route, a voyage that typically takes around 40 hours and is primarily used by domestic travelers and cargo transport between the islands of Java and Sulawesi.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of voyage
Verb
  • On a visit to Grand Cayman during a 2024 trip with Disney Cruise Line, Lee, who uses a wheelchair, was able to board and disembark the tender – a small boat used to ferry guests between an anchored cruise ship and the shore – via a portable ramp.
    — Nathan Diller, USA Today, 31 July 2026
  • Soufflet Vigne, the French agricultural supply and winemaking service company, ferried back and forth water tanks and pumps typically used for fermentation and production to provide water sources for firefighters.
    — Kate Dingwall, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 July 2026
Definition of ferry
Verb
  • If cruising the coastline (on two or four wheels) is on your wish list, cars can access the private 17-Mile Drive via multiple gates.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Norwegian calls it the Studio Complex—cabins designed for one, without the sting of the single supplement that can double the cost of cruising alone.
    — Belinda Luksic, Southern Living, 31 July 2026
Definition of cruise
Verb
  • While HoloHolo Grill is the only restaurant onsite, Kōloa Landing Resort does have a free-standing snack shack poolside serving shave ice and root beer floats along with a handy marketplace just off the lobby.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Gualtieri said the property tax ballot amendment is not the proposal that DeSantis first floated to voters and questioned why there were no protections for public safety funding.
    — Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of float
Verb
  • The countless repetitions give you the most beautiful art form where swans glide, fairies dance and every year a giant nutcracker appears.
    — Chrissie Leong, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2026
  • And there was Nacua, gliding underneath the pass and taking it to the end zone to a roar of cheers.
    — Nate Atkins, New York Times, 30 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 8 Aug. 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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