1
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
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
Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 28 Apr. 2026
The proposals sailed through, though many federal members abstained.
—O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 28 Apr. 2026
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Under normal circumstances, Republicans hold a comfortable majority and Warsh sails through.
—Phil Mattingly, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sail
Verb
The company is preparing to shut down the positioning data on May 20, which is alarming boat owners, including Toal, who recently sailed up the Red Sea.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 28 Apr. 2026
The proposals sailed through, though many federal members abstained.
—O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 28 Apr. 2026
Noun
My six-night sail had two ports in Croatia, one in Italy and Montenegro, and then a sea day before docking in Athens.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Under normal circumstances, Republicans hold a comfortable majority and Warsh sails through.
—Phil Mattingly, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sail
Verb
-
The boating forecast in South Florida on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.—
Lissette Gonzalez,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Much of the area is open to boating, hiking and fishing.—
Paul Rogers,
Mercury News,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Emily Blunt is fierce and fashionable in a dramatic red pantsuit with a flowing train at the European premiere of The Devil Wears Prada 2 in London on April 22.—
Katie Hill,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Given the reputations universities have, search queries then flow to the top of Google’s results.—
Dan Goodin,
ArsTechnica,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Throughout most of human history, average life expectancy at birth hovered somewhere in the mid‑20s.—
Ken Dychtwald,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Inspired by the way a cloud drifts on to hover over somewhere new, head chef Jens Madsen creates a seasonal menu, dedicating each year to the flavors of a specific region.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Guests can book individual treatments or, for those looking to spend more time there, day passes, and voyage-length passes for the rainforest room are available.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Leo departed for Rome after a farewell ceremony at the Malabo airport, ending an 11-day, four-nation voyage that took him from Algeria in the north of Africa to Angola in the south and Cameroon in between.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Whichever lander ends up being selected for Artemis IV would rendezvous with NASA astronauts aboard an Orion vehicle in lunar orbit and then ferry them to the surface.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
-
There are also abundant private cars with gracious Balinese drivers who will happily be on call to ferry you around the island, many of whom double as casual tour guides.—
Kathryn Romeyn,
Travel + Leisure,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Long before the Kraken haunted sailors’ tales, something just as monstrous actually cruised the ancient seas — and scientists just found the proof.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The fifth-inning dinger got the Bombers on the board, as Boston southpaw Payton Tolle had been cruising up to that point.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The tune is jaunty, but this is the kind of patter that, in Wilson’s work, floats above a grave.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The pipes and drains in the building that had originally been a gas station and café — and is now the main office and gift shop — were so dirty that, in the basement, Echols found 13 lawnmowers floating in four inches of water.—
Jonathan Bullington,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Depending on the positioning of this wing, the robot can glide forward or curve back toward its starting point.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The upcoming Michael Jackson biopic, Michael, concludes in 1988, with Jackson gliding across a London stadium stage, performing in that white T-shirt and black jacket full of zippers, as fans weep before him.—
Steve Knopper,
Rolling Stone,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sail. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
