sails 1 of 2

Definition of sailsnext
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
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. Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026 Kate Stewart, who has carried the Texas offense tonight, sails a long double into center field to score pinch runner Adayah Wallace and now has three of the four Longhorn RBIs. Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 6 Mar. 2026 That often sails round-trip from Seattle or Vancouver with stops such as Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan. Nathan Diller, USA Today, 4 Mar. 2026 Two examples of these itineraries are Celebrity’s transatlantic sailing from Orlando, Florida, to Southampton, England (by way of Bermuda and Lisbon), and this 23-day transpacific journey aboard Windstar Cruises, which sails from Tokyo to Vancouver. Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 21 Feb. 2026 The company sails out of 22 ports across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Lorraine Mirabella, Baltimore Sun, 19 Feb. 2026 The story is a post-apocalyptic tale in which a convict, played by Fischbach, sails an ocean of blood in a submarine in order to search for resources and discovers increasingly terrifying secrets. William Earl, Variety, 30 Jan. 2026 The Star Breeze sails year-round in French Polynesia, with voyages departing almost every week, according to the cruise line’s website. Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026 Orgon’s only ally is his domineering parade float of a mother, Madame Pernelle (the Bianca del Rio), who sails onto the stage in high dudgeon at the top of the play. Sara Holdren, Vulture, 17 Dec. 2025
Noun
Worries are centered on the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway off Iran’s coast where a fifth of the world’s oil sails on a typical day. Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026 Worries are centered on the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway off Iran’s coast where a fifth of the world’s oil sails on a typical day. Stan Choe, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026 Now, Situationist has some wind in its sails. Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 10 Mar. 2026 Every vessel sails under the flag of a nation, and that nation is theoretically responsible for regulating and inspecting it. Charles Edward Gehrke, The Conversation, 10 Mar. 2026 This can be overcome by adding more reflective material to the sails, but this adds extra weight (and cost to launch the craft). Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 8 Mar. 2026 The new shade sails at Tunnel Top Plaza in downtown Fort Lauderdale are getting a mixed response ranging from high praise to snarky criticism. Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 27 Feb. 2026 The company offers everything from half-day catamaran sails to three-hour private adventure charters to Masonboro Island. Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 26 Feb. 2026 Kopitar was among the many veterans who likely used the break to heal and rest, hopefully putting wind in their sails for the final third of the campaign. Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 24 Feb. 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
  • Almost a third of global container shipping flows through the Suez Canal.
    Harriet Marsden, TheWeek, 13 Mar. 2026
  • In a league of her own Adelson’s political money flows overwhelmingly to Republicans.
    Philip Jankowski Austin Bureau, Dallas Morning News, 13 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Lawn terrace The cooking area in this outdoor kitchen space floats above an elegant lawn terrace surrounded by a sinuous retaining wall in this space by Richardson & Associates Landscape Architecture.
    Megan Johnson, Architectural Digest, 12 Mar. 2026
  • Jordan Pope floats home his second bucket of the half for the Longhorns.
    Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 11 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • This specific sailing transports guests into the biodiverse Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve on voyages of three, four, or seven nights.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Mar. 2026
  • The brand is offering up 15 adventures to the Land of the Midnight Sun, four journeys across the Pacific, and two transcontinental voyages that give you the chance to traverse both spots in one go.
    Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 6 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The whippet-fast lift system got even more efficient this season with the introduction of the Explorer Gondola, the world’s speediest 10-person gondola that ferries skiers from base to peak on heated seats.
    Amy Tara Koch, Robb Report, 29 Jan. 2026
  • In late November, the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which ferries 80% of all Kazakh oil supplies from Kazakhstan to the Black Sea, said it had been attacked twice in four days.
    Vasco Cotovio, CNN Money, 11 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • Harry Styles cruises into the weekend with a new chart crown, as Kiss All The Time.
    Lars Brandle, Billboard, 13 Mar. 2026
  • Cole Winn, a one-time failed starter who is re-inventing his life as a reliever, cruises through the sixth.
    Tim Cowlishaw, Dallas Morning News, 3 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The first three tracks proceed like this, with Rubio doing jazz runs through a gauntlet of chipmunk effects while the music hovers in midair as if sourced from a Galaxie 500 record stuck in a locked groove.
    Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 10 Mar. 2026
  • Though much of his dip in performance last season can be tied to poor quarterback play and inconsistent pass protection from the offensive line, Hockenson hovers closer to the middle tier of tight ends.
    Zach Powell, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • One notable feature is how often the stock has managed to bottom once the RSI drifts toward the midpoint of its range.
    Frank Cappelleri, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2026
  • Debris drifts in and has nowhere to go.
    Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 10 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Sails.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sails. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.

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