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

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 sailing
Verb
Royal Caribbean also paid homage to the original Legend of the Seas, which began sailing for the line in the 1990s until 2017, with a model of that ship on display in Schooner Bar. — Nathan Diller, USA Today, 6 July 2026 Two other small tankers exited the Persian Gulf by sailing closer to Iran. — Weilun Soon, Fortune, 5 July 2026 This coincides with the container shipping industry at large, with the number of cargo vessels sailing via the Suez Canal rising to 35 in the week ended June 28. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 30 June 2026 Options for activities include paddleboarding and chasing Arctic swells in the fjords, sailing through sea cliffs and the uninhabited Hornstrandir Nature Reserve, and spotting whales, seals, Arctic foxes, and more wildlife. — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 28 June 2026 Sail4th 250 kicks off Friday, featuring 40 vessels representing 40 nations sailing from the Verrazzano Bridge all the way north to the George Washington Bridge and docking at piers on 15 miles of waterfront across the city. — Lisa Rozner, CBS News, 28 June 2026 The Deliver, sailing under the flag of Cameroon, had departed from the Russian port of Primorsk, authorities said. — Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2026 Carnival Jubilee Western Caribbean Cruises Carnival Jubilee is one of the larger ships sailing from Galveston, carrying over 6,500 passengers at maximum capacity. — Megan Dubois, Southern Living, 25 June 2026 Here, some of the finest lines for sailing solo without feeling alone. — Janice Wald Henderson, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sailing
  1. hovering
  2. cruising
  3. flowing
  4. floating
  5. gliding
  6. boating
  7. drifting
  8. swimming
Adjective
  • 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
  • This is surprising for something that is supposed to require less hovering, especially if the host is out of hearing range of the device's alerts.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 20 Feb. 2026
Definition of hovering
Verb
  • Senegal were cruising, courtesy of goals from Habib Diarra and Ismaila Sarr.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 5 July 2026
  • Among the benefits of cruising is the fact that, for many Americans, getting to a ship doesn’t necessarily mean taking a flight.
    — Jane Wooldridge, Travel + Leisure, 3 July 2026
Definition of cruising
Verb
  • The oil market cheered as the Strait of Hormuz reopened somewhat, and crude started gradually flowing out of the Persian Gulf after getting stuck there for months.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 8 July 2026
  • Too much or too little water flowing south from Lake Okeechobee can wreak havoc on the historic nesting grounds for the long-legged birds.
    — Alex Harris July 8, Miami Herald, 8 July 2026
Definition of flowing
Verb
  • Officials have said the pool most likely would need to be drained again for liner repairs after chunks of blue coating were seen floating at the surface.
    — Michael Kunzelman, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • Officials said the debris was scattered across a wide area, with strong winds, rough seas and shifting ocean currents carrying floating wreckage away from the crash site, complicating efforts to locate the missing crew.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 July 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
  • Severe storms cause widespread damage in Wisconsin The boating incident occurred as severe thunderstorms moved across southern Wisconsin, triggering widespread damage in Walworth County.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 4 July 2026
  • Deadly boating tragedies are common in the central African country, where late-night travels and overcrowded vessels are often blamed.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 July 2026
Definition of boating
Verb
  • The chair owns much of the relationship architecture that allows both sides to work without drifting into passivity or intrusion.
    — David Ribott, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
  • Early in the first quarter, Stirtz highlighted his off-ball repertoire and spatial awareness in drifting to the left wing for an open 3-pointer — his first of two makes Saturday.
    — Latif Love, Kansas City Star, 5 July 2026
Definition of drifting
Verb
  • Her three kids could be seen posing on the beach, getting ready to go swimming.
    — Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 6 July 2026
  • Then much farther north, a beach was closed to swimming in Maine after a report of two sharks near Reid State Park.
    — Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 6 July 2026
Definition of swimming

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sailing
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Cite this Entry

“Sailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sailing. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of sailing for Spanish Speakers

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