sailing 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of sailingnext
as in hovering

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sailing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of sail
1
as in cruising
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
2
as in flowing
to move or proceed smoothly and readily sailed through the latest assignment

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in floating
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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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 sailing
Verb
The ship’s April transatlantic cruise starts in Port Canaveral before sailing to Bermuda, the Azores, Portugal, and England. — Megan Dubois, Southern Living, 29 Sep. 2026 However, the average vessel isn't exactly sailing around the world for years on end like a commercial freighter. — New Atlas, 29 Sep. 2026 More cruise ships like Oceania Marina and Ponant’s Le Commandant Charcot are sailing to remote destinations like Sisimiut, Narsaq, and Disko Island. — Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Sep. 2026 Mandel took the sentiment a step further, comparing Cowell’s absence to sailing without the person normally steering the ship. — Alicia Urrea, Billboard, 22 Sep. 2026 The kick shot almost directly left, sailing over KU’s bench and out of bounds at the 25-yard line for a punt of just 17 yards. — Taylor Eldridge, Kansas City Star, 19 Sep. 2026 After sailing about half an hour, Choi’s navy yard utility boat slowed and hovered – never fully stopping as the water was far deeper than the length of the anchor. — Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2026 The Costa Cruises vessel was reportedly sailing from Naples to Sicily when the brawl erupted at sea. — Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2026 The ship-tracking website VesselFinder lists it as sailing under the Liberian flag. — James Cirrone, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sailing
  1. hovering
  2. cruising
  3. flowing
  4. floating
  5. gliding
  6. boating
  7. drifting
  8. swimming
Adjective
  • The drones then find the best hovering altitude before each lining up to spray the fire, one after the other.
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 20 July 2026
  • He-Man was now a jolly, quip-ready hero, whose best friends were scaredy-cat Cringer (a green-and-yellow tiger who transformed into Battle Cat), and an annoying, hovering magician called Orko.
    — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 1 June 2026
Definition of hovering
Verb
  • The British yard, which revealed its first catamaran at the Cannes Yachting Festival in early September, today unveiled a new flagship sailing superyacht that combines elegant design and meticulous craftsmanship with bluewater cruising capability.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 24 Sep. 2026
  • After a dismal outing on Sunday, the Indiana Fever got their spark back on Tuesday, cruising to a 96–77 win over the league-best Minnesota Lynx in their final game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse of the regular season.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of cruising
Verb
  • The cash is flowing to candidates, super PACs and industry groups aiming to shape policy fights in Washington.
    — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Olivia Rodrigo originally planned to hit the stage at her inaugural Daisy Chain Fields festival in August in an iconic floor-length, flowing white gown.
    — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of flowing
Verb
  • Propped up against them were colorful large-scale oil paintings of orbs floating against blurry color fields.
    — Ryan Sullivan, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Walls, backsplash areas and the space beneath upper cabinets rarely get treated as storage, even though rails, pegboards, magnetic strips, floating shelves and hanging baskets can absorb a meaningful share of what currently sits on the counter.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of floating
Adjective
  • In addition, the action includes top-tier spider combat and awesome web-slinging and web-gliding traversal abilities.
    — George Yang, PC Magazine, 1 May 2026
Definition of gliding
Verb
  • Also in the collection are Parisian cityscapes by Claude Monet and Camille Pissarro, a horse-racing image by Edgar Degas and a boating scene by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, all valued in the tens of millions of dollars.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The park has boating access, paddlesport rentals, and a swimming beach, as well as hiking trails, campgrounds, and mini cabins.
    — Savannah Born, Travel + Leisure, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of boating
Verb
  • Expect to see plenty of holidaymakers and honeymooners hanging out by the pool or drifting in and out of the on-site spa.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The issue, of course, stems from the sound of rider screams from the coaster drifting into the residential area.
    — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of drifting
Verb
  • Lundy and her care team periodically change the water flow rates in the tanks so the baby frogs grow strong limbs and are accustomed to swimming in different conditions.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Gaines, then swimming for the University of Kentucky, tied Thomas for fifth place in the 200-yard freestyle final.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of swimming

Browse Nearby Words

sailers
sailing
sailing into
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Cite this Entry

“Sailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sailing. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

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