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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in flows
to move or proceed smoothly and readily
sailed through the latest assignment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sails
Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 1 May 2026
The boat sails from Genoa in complete darkness, a precaution against air raids.
—Marcy Thompson, Scientific American, 16 Apr. 2026
The line sails year-round from Southern ports including Port Canaveral, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Galveston, and New Orleans.
—Linnea Bailey, Southern Living, 8 Apr. 2026
Most tanker movement in the key Strait of Hormuz, where roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil typically sails past Iran’s coastline, remains at a halt.
—Camila Gomez, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Mar. 2026
Capasecca Yacht Another bespoke yachting experience, Capasecca — featuring four cabins that sleep up to eight guests — sails the Amalfi Coast, Capri, Ischia and Procida, backed by a family with generations of seafaring heritage.
—Elycia Rubin, HollywoodReporter, 24 Mar. 2026
In response, Iran has nearly halted traffic through the narrow Strait of Hormuz, where a fifth of the world’s oil typically sails from the Persian Gulf to customers worldwide.
—Stan Choe, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026
Iran’s actions have effectively stopped cargo traffic through the narrow Strait of Hormuz, where a fifth of the world’s oil typically sails.
—Alex Veiga, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
Much will depend on what happens with the Strait of Hormuz off Iran’s coast, where roughly a fifth of the world’s oil typically sails.
—Jeremy Tanner, The Hill, 7 Mar. 2026
Andrew Rice, New York Times, 7 May 2026
While the results could put the wind in the president’s sails, both candidates and observers alike had warned that many local factors were in play as well.
—Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 5 May 2026
Her three towering masts, which stand at approximately 328 feet and support over 16,000 square feet of rigid sails, can be rotated a full 360 degrees to maximize the wind, thereby reducing fuel consumption, lowering operating costs, and increasing efficiency.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 30 Apr. 2026
In a video posted on Donaldson's Instagram on Tuesday, he is seen swimming along the Ord River beside a man in a canoe, as another boat sails past him.
—Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 28 Apr. 2026
Riley sails on, prow forward, fighting to avoid the Imagination’s unceremonious fate, not quitting, not wishing to be retired, but battling time.
—Greg Cote
april 28, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026
Private speedboat or catamaran charters are nothing compared to the experience aboard the Friendship Rose, a classic Caribbean schooner with soaring sails built by hand on the sands of Bequia's Friendship Bay several decades ago.
—Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 22 Apr. 2026
Under normal circumstances, Republicans hold a comfortable majority and Warsh sails through.
—Phil Mattingly, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026
For engineers, the lesson is that with proper incorporation of rotor sails, ships can effectively harness free energy sources without impacting their main activities.
—Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 21 Apr. 2026
Verb
Sooner or later, every ship sails off into the sunset.
—Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 1 May 2026
The boat sails from Genoa in complete darkness, a precaution against air raids.
—Marcy Thompson, Scientific American, 16 Apr. 2026
The line sails year-round from Southern ports including Port Canaveral, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Galveston, and New Orleans.
—Linnea Bailey, Southern Living, 8 Apr. 2026
Most tanker movement in the key Strait of Hormuz, where roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil typically sails past Iran’s coastline, remains at a halt.
—Camila Gomez, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Mar. 2026
Capasecca Yacht Another bespoke yachting experience, Capasecca — featuring four cabins that sleep up to eight guests — sails the Amalfi Coast, Capri, Ischia and Procida, backed by a family with generations of seafaring heritage.
—Elycia Rubin, HollywoodReporter, 24 Mar. 2026
In response, Iran has nearly halted traffic through the narrow Strait of Hormuz, where a fifth of the world’s oil typically sails from the Persian Gulf to customers worldwide.
—Stan Choe, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026
Iran’s actions have effectively stopped cargo traffic through the narrow Strait of Hormuz, where a fifth of the world’s oil typically sails.
—Alex Veiga, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
Much will depend on what happens with the Strait of Hormuz off Iran’s coast, where roughly a fifth of the world’s oil typically sails.
—Jeremy Tanner, The Hill, 7 Mar. 2026
Noun
The huge width is what enables the boat to harness so much power from the wind in its sails.
—Andrew Rice, New York Times, 7 May 2026
While the results could put the wind in the president’s sails, both candidates and observers alike had warned that many local factors were in play as well.
—Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 5 May 2026
Her three towering masts, which stand at approximately 328 feet and support over 16,000 square feet of rigid sails, can be rotated a full 360 degrees to maximize the wind, thereby reducing fuel consumption, lowering operating costs, and increasing efficiency.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 30 Apr. 2026
In a video posted on Donaldson's Instagram on Tuesday, he is seen swimming along the Ord River beside a man in a canoe, as another boat sails past him.
—Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 28 Apr. 2026
Riley sails on, prow forward, fighting to avoid the Imagination’s unceremonious fate, not quitting, not wishing to be retired, but battling time.
—Greg Cote
april 28, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026
Private speedboat or catamaran charters are nothing compared to the experience aboard the Friendship Rose, a classic Caribbean schooner with soaring sails built by hand on the sands of Bequia's Friendship Bay several decades ago.
—Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 22 Apr. 2026
Under normal circumstances, Republicans hold a comfortable majority and Warsh sails through.
—Phil Mattingly, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026
For engineers, the lesson is that with proper incorporation of rotor sails, ships can effectively harness free energy sources without impacting their main activities.
—Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 21 Apr. 2026
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
-
But molten rock flows through all of them, and eventually, something cracks, breaks, and explodes.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
8 May 2026
-
Each evening, live music flows from the dining room onto Ocean Drive, where a percussionist, guitarist, and vocalist’s sounds invite diners for an impromptu salsa dance session.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Known as Wingspan, the 6,150-square-foot residence takes its name from the parabolic roofline that floats above the structure like an airplane wing.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
8 May 2026
-
Hathaway’s White Queen floats with sweet highs and dark lows, her heavenly air masking a morbid psychosis.—
Chris Feil,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
Brands such as Celebrity, Crystal, and Viking have turned these voyages of necessity into some rather extraordinary trips that would be difficult to replicate any other way.—
Scott Laird,
Travel + Leisure,
12 May 2026
-
As Grann starts to painstakingly reconstruct Fawcett’s voyages on the page, the longtime New Yorker staff writer also gets caught up in Fawcett’s mania.—
Eva Holland,
The Atlantic,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The blockage of the strait, which normally ferries 20% of the world's oil, sent global energy prices soaring.—
Kevin Breuninger,Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Iran has effectively halted trade traveling through the Strait of Hormuz, the maritime trade route that ferries roughly 20% of the world’s petroleum.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In his highlight video, the inventor ultimately cruises at a top speed of nearly 30 miles per hour.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Aledo cruises through district Aledo has faced more adversity than usual on a tough non-district slate.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Average annual income hovers around $58,000, reflecting a shortage of high-wage opportunities.—
Linh Tat,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
-
Towing capacity hovers around 6,500 pounds (2,948 kg), depending on configuration.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
3 May 2026
Verb
-
The song slowly drifts away, its job completed.—
Ben Cardew,
Pitchfork,
2 May 2026
-
In this haunting and visually inventive documentary, a spectral voice drifts through time and memory to trace the Maidan revolution and the roots of resistance in Ukraine.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sails.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sails. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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