sails 1 of 2

present tense third-person singular of sail
1
as in boats
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 floats
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

sails

2 of 2

noun

plural of sail
as in voyages
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 sails
Verb
Royal Caribbean sails itineraries to 270-plus destinations in 60-plus countries on six continents. Jessica Peralta, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025 Researchers know about the wrecks because reporting any commercial ship that sails on the lakes is required; from the early 19th century to the 20th century, about 40,000 ships sailed the Great Lakes, Baillod said. Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 17 Sep. 2025 Disney Cruise Line Disney sails Halloween on the High Seas voyages in September and October, where passengers will find special decor – including a magical Halloween tree – themed desserts and drinks and other festive activities. Nathan Diller, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025 Aqua Blu, a former yacht of the Campari family reimagined as a 30-cabin expedition yacht, sails week-long routes from Bali through Komodo and up to Raja Ampat. Lela London, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025 The 210-passenger Pearl Mist is a slightly larger, more modern ship that sails the lakes exclusively all summer. Jeri Clausing, AFAR Media, 22 Aug. 2025 The former typically sails out of Port Canaveral in Orlando, according to the Carnival Cruise Lines’ website, while the latter has routes out of Jacksonville, Florida. Addy Bink, The Hill, 17 Aug. 2025 Like the Icon of the Seas, which currently sails out of Miami, Star of the Seas is organized into eight neighborhoods each designed for different activities and age groups. Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Aug. 2025 The vessel currently sails under the Indonesian flag, based on MarineTraffic vessel information. Lori Ann Larocco, CNBC, 6 Aug. 2025
Noun
In a nutshell, the Trojan prince Paris sails to Sparta to capture Helen, the beautiful wife of the king of Sparta, Menelaus. Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025 Their characteristic projecting spines serve both as flotation modulators (via a complex process akin to raising and lowering protoplasmic sails) and as masts permitting the cell to extend itself outward into the surrounding water and feed. Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025 Light sails and giant lasers might get you some of the way there. Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 22 Oct. 2025 Pure Amazon sails three-, four-, and seven-night itineraries from Nauta, which is about an hour-and-a-half drive from the airport in Iquitos. Jeri Clausing, AFAR Media, 21 Oct. 2025 As the ball sails over his head, a simple knock down from Iliman Ndiaye allowed Idrissa Gueye to finish first time. Mark Carey, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025 Celia Imrie has put some wind in the sails of The Celebrity Traitors’ viewing figures. Jake Kanter, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2025 Still, Swift’s straight sales edged Adele’s by only about 100,000, and Adele didn’t have the wind of myriad vinyl variants in her sales sails. Eric Renner Brown, Billboard, 14 Oct. 2025 The Yankees responded with a Giancarlo Stanton two-out single in the bottom of the first inning, but the Blue Jays took the wind out of any Yankees sails in the top of the third. Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sails
Verb
  • Shrimp boats bob in the harbor, American flags flutter from pastel porches and old oak trees draped in Spanish moss offer cool shade.
    Noreen Kompanik, Boston Herald, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Kennebunkport, Maine Lobster boats bob in the waves and beachcombers search for shells.
    Allison Tibaldi, USA Today, 20 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Reflect honestly about your longings as Mercury flows with Jupiter and Saturn.
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 25 Oct. 2025
  • During a stay here in one of the hotel’s 208 rooms (including 12 suites), guests will be able to enjoy luxe linens, Japanese-style soaking tubs, and plenty of natural light that flows in through floor-to-ceiling windows.
    Mae Hamilton, Travel + Leisure, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The soft, breathable cotton blend fabric floats away from the body and can be worn both over a shirt and under a jacket.
    Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 26 Oct. 2025
  • Whereas therapy looks backward to heal, and self-help often floats in abstraction, Space of mind looks forward, quantifying how identity, beliefs, and emotions evolve over time.
    Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Administration officials say the task force will shift operations ashore because traffickers are now less willing to risk voyages that can be detected and targeted at sea.
    Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2025
  • City Cruises along the Sacramento River will be concluding their seasonal Halloween rides with their final voyages sailing off Friday.
    Marcus Smith, Sacbee.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The fanciest, most famous restaurants are still doing mostly table service, but just about every other establishment has been conscripted into the army that ferries hot food out of professional kitchens and into American mouths 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
    Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Mirage ferries Noah to the Autobots' rendezvous point, much to Optimus Prime's dismay.
    Rendy Jones August 27, EW.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Held each year on the Saturday before Veterans Day, the procession typically begins at noon in Milam Park and cruises its way through downtown along historic Houston Street.
    Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 26 Oct. 2025
  • The 9- and 14-day cruises explore cities like Syracuse, New York; Cleveland, Ohio; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and mark the first Great Lakes cruises for the company.
    Katie Nadworny, Travel + Leisure, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Out back, there’s a covered engawa, a traditional Japanese porch that hovers slightly off the ground.
    Tori Latham, Robb Report, 31 Oct. 2025
  • Europe’s central bank is expected to hold rates steady in October as inflation hovers around its 2% target.
    Tasmin Lockwood, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Soon there are pet names, goodnight texts and then grief when the model updates and the chatbot’s personality drifts.
    Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 22 Oct. 2025
  • Between songs, the film drifts into dreamlike Parisian vignettes Aguilera contemplates love, motherhood, reinvention, and her career’s artistry.
    Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sails.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sails. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.

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