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
And then Timmy and Oli sailed east across the Pacific to America, a three-month voyage. — George Boedecker Jr, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026 Cruise ships tend to sail full or close to it given the business’ high operating and fixed costs such as fuel or interest on loans. — Nathan Diller, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
Noun
Not Netflix‘s The Whisper Man, though, which doesn’t need the extra time and sails by in under two hours as a movie in a pulsating pace that keeps us engaged and guessing from beginning to end. — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2026 Boy and In a Violent Nature take the wind out of that movie’s sails? — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 24 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
  • Families can also go boating to try and spot whale sharks and manatees in the lagoon or opt for less exciting but just as rewarding sunset cruises.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Earlier this year, a 17-year-old was bitten by a shark in the waters off Galveston, Texas, while on a boating trip over Memorial Day weekend.
    — Heather McCarron, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of boat
Verb
  • When local issues become national issues Nationalization does not only flow from Washington down.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Prices for most types of petroleum products have gone up since the war with Iran began in late February, amid limits on how much could flow through the Strait of Hormuz.
    — Willa Rubin, NPR, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of flow
Verb
  • Mayflies hovering around our heads were bound to attract bats, and bats creep me out.
    — Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Louise — the presence of her absence — hovers over the wintry landscapes like a figment of loss and guilt.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of hover
Noun
  • Carnival guests will similarly earn three points for every dollar spent on eligible purchases, and one point for each Casino Point left at the end of their voyage.
    — Nathan Diller, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • There are famous sailing ships with female names that many Americans can cite, such as the nicknames for the three Spanish ships — the Niña, Pinta and Santa María — used by Christopher Columbus during his famed first voyage to the New World in 1492.
    — Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of voyage
Verb
  • Tesla Clearing all the regulations required to sell people a steering wheel-less vehicle that's meant to ferry other people is going to take years and a lot of painstaking effort to pull off.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The Pilot once ferried maritime pilots to larger ships in Boston Harbor.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of ferry
Verb
  • Aside from the opening drive, when Michigan cruised 75 yards for a touchdown, and the game-winning heave, the offense was moribund.
    — Austin Meek, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • And while the Tigers cruised the rest of the way with their backups and third-teamers, there were enough miscues in all facets that Drinkwitz was left flush with coaching points.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of cruise
Verb
  • Interesting Engineering has previously reported how floating power plants are powering vast areas in Russia by connecting to the local grid.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Videos of the flooding obtained by ABC News show a roaring Colorado River as mudflows and debris from metal structures are seen floating down the river.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of float
Verb
  • Merino glided away from challenges to keep Arsenal in control.
    — Thom Harris, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Sea facing suites have views over the harbor and terraces set up with chairs and tables for watching the boats glide in and out.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Sep. 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 7 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on sail

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sail

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