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
With the evacuation of all passengers and many crew members completed, the MV Hondius is now sailing back to the Netherlands, where it will be cleaned and disinfected. Thomas Adamson, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026 The remaining 27 people aboard the ship — 25 crew members and two medical professionals — are now sailing to Rotterdam, Netherlands, where the ship will be disinfected. Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 12 May 2026
Noun
The expedition set sail on May 19, 1845, and was last seen in July 1845 in Baffin Bay by the captains of two whaling ships. ArsTechnica, 8 May 2026 Fittingly built in Japan, the 500,000-ton+ (when fully laden) supertanker Seawise Giant would set sail in 1979. Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 7 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for sail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sail
Verb
  • According to the latest Coast Guard statistics, there were 3,887 recreational boating incidents nationwide in 2024, resulting in 556 deaths and more than 2,100 injuries.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2026
  • Prosecutors dropped two boating infractions against George Pino, the Doral real estate broker who rammed his boat into a channel marker — killing a 17-year-old girl in 2022 — as Pino’s trial for the girl’s death approaches.
    Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • For cocktails and nightlife, hit TopGolf or Nola’s for live music then end the night strong with a table at HQ nightclub where resident and guest DJs keep the dance floor bumping and bottle servers keep the bubbly and energy flowing.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 May 2026
  • Together, all of those developments deepened class and regional inequalities, as capital flowed away from workers in the industrial hinterland toward financial centers like New York.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • One of the many strengths of the Kieślowski film is its tight focus on just two individuals, the watcher and the watched, with a couple of secondary characters hovering around the edges.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026
  • With a par 70 layout, the leaders have mostly hovered around three under.
    Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • Boardwalk is the third delivery Lürssen has made this year, following in the footsteps of Odisea, which made its maiden voyage back in March.
    Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 14 May 2026
  • The outbreak began when a Dutch cruise ship carrying 147 passengers and crew departed Argentina on April 1 for a South Atlantic voyage.
    Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 13 May 2026
Verb
  • Passengers were seen being ferried in small boats from the cruise ship anchored at the Port of Granadilla to the island.
    Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 10 May 2026
  • The ship will not dock but will remain at anchor, with people ferried off in small boats.
    Iain Sullivan, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026
Verb
  • The Jupiter softball team is heading to the state final four as the host Warriors cruised past Centennial 15-0 in three innings in a 7A regional final on Thursday night.
    Alex Kushel, Sun Sentinel, 15 May 2026
  • Brock cruises past Amarillo Randall Brock softball held a 3-1 lead over Amarillo Randall in the sixth inning at Abilene Christian University when the bats came alive.
    Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • Arches of black and yellow balloons floated over tables set with meals in plastic boxes.
    Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 11 May 2026
  • Banking groups are floating last-minute changes to a compromise on stablecoin yield as a key Senate panel begins considering a landmark digital asset bill.
    Bloomberg, Chicago Tribune, 10 May 2026
Verb
  • Mountain bikes must glide gracefully through all sorts of abusive terrain; road bikes need to mix high performance with enough comfort to let riders stay in the saddle for hours on end.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 15 May 2026
  • Celeste Ecoflyers’ aircraft design emphasizes gliding capability for safe landings even in engine failure, combining low weight with operational robustness.
    Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 14 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Sail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sail. Accessed 18 May. 2026.

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