Synonyms of sailing

sailing 1 of 2

adjective

as in hovering

Related Words

• hovering
• gliding
• hanging
• drifting
• wafting
• floating
• poised
• awash
• afloat
• unsinkable
• free-floating
• buoyant
• floaty

Dissimilar Words

• sinking
• sunk
• high and dry
• aground

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

• cruising
• boating
• ferrying
• navigating
• voyaging
• kayaking
• shipping (out)
• coasting
• canoeing
• yachting
• making sail
• taking ship

2

as in flowing

to move or proceed smoothly and readily

sailed through the latest assignment

Synonyms & Similar Words

• flowing
• cruising
• gliding
• drifting
• flying
• sliding
• racing
• rolling
• sweeping
• coasting
• brushing
• slipping
• bowling
• streaming
• speeding
• rushing
• skimming
• breezing
• whisking

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• struggling
• floundering
• stumbling
• limping
• trudging
• plodding
• lumbering
• shuffling
• stamping
• tramping
• laboring
• stomping
• toiling
• shambling
• stumping

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

• hovering
• floating
• swimming
• drifting
• gliding
• riding
• bobbing
• hanging
• wafting
• dangling
• poising
• suspending
• rafting
• buoying
• ballooning

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• sinking
• settling
• diving
• plunging
• lunging
• dipping
• immersing
• submerging
• submersing

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of sailing

Verb

Seductive aquatic creatures luring sailors to a watery death is a story that pretty much originated with sailing itself. — Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2026

When the Odyssey stopped sailing, the friend had spent less than a month on the ship. — Shayla Love, New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2026

The train also provides access to some of the region’s best outdoor activities, from skiing near Killington to sailing on Lake Champlain. — Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 1 Nov. 2026

Tankers carrying Russian diesel are sailing to the United States, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is expected to attend a G20 ministerial meeting in Atlanta starting Friday, said Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova. — Arkansas Online, 30 Oct. 2026

The freighter, with a crew of 25, was sailing with limited engine power Sunday evening. — ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026

Charging infrastructure at ports would supply the electricity needed for operation, allowing the concept to avoid direct carbon emissions while sailing. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026

Chuck Zimmerman, who is described by his supporters as a Navy veteran who was intercepted by the Russian navy while sailing in international waters. — Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026

One tanker is now sailing toward Poland through the Red Sea, according to Bloomberg, and at least 20 more shipments have passed through the Strait of Hormuz to other destinations since early September. — semafor.com, 20 Oct. 2026