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

Relevance
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
Gasper’s game-tying blast sailed 407 feet into the right field bleachers and according to Statcast would have been gone in all 30 MLB ballparks. — Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 19 Aug. 2026 All ships were able to continue sailing safely, a statement from Southern Command said. — Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026
Noun
An autonomous vertical sail uses suction technology to draw air over this shape, creating propulsive thrust that decreases the mechanical burden on the vessel’s primary engines. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 9 Aug. 2026 The sails will allow the ship to harness wind power when conditions are favorable, reducing fuel consumption. — Chrissie McClatchie, Travel + Leisure, 4 Aug. 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
  • The waterfront resort pairs a spa, fitness center, tennis and padel courts, marina access, and modern rooms with a lively marina atmosphere that’s ideal for boating and exploring the East End.
    — Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The city sees the latest return of boating as one part of a broader effort to bring more people and activity to MacArthur Park.
    — Hanna Kang, Los Angeles Times, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of boat
Verb
  • Her looks are characterized by a natural, relaxed elegance, featuring flowing dresses, lightweight fabrics, and details reminiscent of 1970s fashion.
    — Laura Tortora, Glamour, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Up in the directors’ box, sporting director Andrea Berta wore an inscrutable expression as the game flowed.
    — Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of flow
Verb
  • Inspectors observed around 6 flies hovering at and below a prep sink.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • But things went sideways when the drone hovered above Austen’s pool and dropped the package into the water.
    — Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of hover
Noun
  • Amtrak’s Empire Builder is one of the great American train journeys, a 2,210-mile rail voyage through seven states that goes along the northern edge of the American West.
    — Everett Potter, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • During the voyage, the report alleged that Caruso separated the boy from his parents for at least an hour under the pretext of getting ice cream.
    — Ana Maria Soler, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of voyage
Verb
  • Madilynn Becker, Miss Kansas While Madilynn Becker has long since given up most of her rituals and superstitions, there was one that ferried her through her young pageant career.
    — Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026
  • According to Axios, the US military has helped ferry crude through the Strait of Hormuz, driving overall levels of exports through the key waterway to about half of prewar levels and undermining Iranian efforts to control the crossing.
    — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of ferry
Verb
  • By then Arsenal were cruising, thanks to an hour of crisp passing and progressive possession punctuated by goals from Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Odegaard.
    — Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026
  • The twin-engine, turbo-prop aircraft are pressurized, seat up to nine passengers and have the ability to cruise at 330 mph at 28,000 feet, Security Aviation says.
    — Aaron Cooper, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of cruise
Verb
  • Restrictions on energy, electricity or critical minerals, something Ford also floated, could instead raise costs for American companies and consumers by making key inputs more expensive or harder to obtain.
    — Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The soda bottles sat atop floating coasters that carried the drinks across the food truck counter and dropped them into a slot so customers could retrieve them below.
    — Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of float
Verb
  • Savor quiet mornings on the dock, then head out on a boat to glide beneath the pines.
    — Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The countryside glided by, and Abdeen took in the moving sky and the fields.
    — Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of glide

Phrases Containing sail

Browse Nearby Words

said uncle
sail
sailboat
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sail. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on sail

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sail

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of devolve

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All