1
as in excursion
a short trip for pleasure
a morning sally out to see the historic monuments around the city
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in laugh
something said or done to cause laughter
the final sally made her laugh, and that ended the argument
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 sally
Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026
Prices of stocks and bonds, along with long-term interest rates, have oscillated up and down in response to the daily verbal sallies from the White House.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 27 Apr. 2025
He was born into a rich family, and his father, the outer-borough real-estate developer Fred Trump, financed his early sallies into Manhattan real estate.
—John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2024
The close relationship between Abe and Hudson really got under way after his first disastrous sally as prime minister in 2006–7, when everyone in Japan thought his political career was over.
—Arthur Herman, National Review, 8 July 2022
Both nominees would be vital to Democrats push to revive Net neutrality, the latest sally in a decades-long battle over whether all Internet traffic should be treated equally by providers.
—BostonGlobe.com, 26 Oct. 2021
And consider compromise that can bring most everyone to the table in agreement, rather than insisting on a quixotic sally into a windmill that might flip a body into the air and leave it to fall.
—Erik Sherman, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2021
Most recently, the Kremlin has settled on a strategy that involves legal sallies against international digital companies—including Apple, Facebook, Google, and Twitter.
—Andrei Soldatov, Foreign Affairs, 3 Nov. 2015
Jacky Wong, WSJ, 20 June 2022
In 2018, for instance, an American aircraft-carrier sallied into the Arctic Circle for the first time in 30 years, during a huge exercise in Norway.
—The Economist, 16 May 2020
In addition to this, the two foresters cite other assaults: the beetle colonies that waited out the newly mild winters in the dead wood left by the high winds, and which sallied forth aggressively this year to attack new stands.
—National Geographic, 13 Jan. 2020
Cleander, who commanded the Praetorian Guards, ordered a body of cavalry to sally forth and disperse the seditious multitude.
—Kevin D. Williamson, National Review, 6 June 2019
In my own hopelessly romantic eyes, Dr. Hawking in the Copley Plaza will always be St. George in a wheelchair, sallying forth to slay the black-hole dragon.
—Dennis Overbye, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2018
So many people going to the game or other festivities surrounding the game are waiting for temperatures to safely rise above freezing levels before sallying out.
—Ed Kilgore, Daily Intelligencer, 8 Jan. 2018
Noun
The Uber initiative is the latest sally in a long war pitting plaintiffs and their lawyers against businesses, with legal fees as the battleground.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026
Prices of stocks and bonds, along with long-term interest rates, have oscillated up and down in response to the daily verbal sallies from the White House.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 27 Apr. 2025
He was born into a rich family, and his father, the outer-borough real-estate developer Fred Trump, financed his early sallies into Manhattan real estate.
—John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2024
The close relationship between Abe and Hudson really got under way after his first disastrous sally as prime minister in 2006–7, when everyone in Japan thought his political career was over.
—Arthur Herman, National Review, 8 July 2022
Both nominees would be vital to Democrats push to revive Net neutrality, the latest sally in a decades-long battle over whether all Internet traffic should be treated equally by providers.
—BostonGlobe.com, 26 Oct. 2021
And consider compromise that can bring most everyone to the table in agreement, rather than insisting on a quixotic sally into a windmill that might flip a body into the air and leave it to fall.
—Erik Sherman, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2021
Most recently, the Kremlin has settled on a strategy that involves legal sallies against international digital companies—including Apple, Facebook, Google, and Twitter.
—Andrei Soldatov, Foreign Affairs, 3 Nov. 2015
Verb
That may last for a while as buyers who weren’t able to purchase an apartment during the depths of the pandemic restrictions finally sally forth.
—Jacky Wong, WSJ, 20 June 2022
In 2018, for instance, an American aircraft-carrier sallied into the Arctic Circle for the first time in 30 years, during a huge exercise in Norway.
—The Economist, 16 May 2020
In addition to this, the two foresters cite other assaults: the beetle colonies that waited out the newly mild winters in the dead wood left by the high winds, and which sallied forth aggressively this year to attack new stands.
—National Geographic, 13 Jan. 2020
Cleander, who commanded the Praetorian Guards, ordered a body of cavalry to sally forth and disperse the seditious multitude.
—Kevin D. Williamson, National Review, 6 June 2019
In my own hopelessly romantic eyes, Dr. Hawking in the Copley Plaza will always be St. George in a wheelchair, sallying forth to slay the black-hole dragon.
—Dennis Overbye, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2018
So many people going to the game or other festivities surrounding the game are waiting for temperatures to safely rise above freezing levels before sallying out.
—Ed Kilgore, Daily Intelligencer, 8 Jan. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sally
Noun
-
On Saturday, the run club had a potentially record-breaking 40 runners and walkers meet at the Guy West Bridge next to Sacramento State for a 45-minute excursion along the American River Parkway, run club co-founder Saul Arcos’ favorite running spot in Sacramento.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
8 June 2026
-
Snorkeling excursions, paddleboarding, sailing trips, and sandbar tours showcase the island’s famously clear turquoise waters and nearby coral reefs.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
Guiterrez was killed just days before her 20th birthday and was described on GoFundMe by her sister as having the silliest laugh and biggest smiles, and giving the best hugs.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
-
Often, the laughs on the show are generated by a delicate interplay between the music and the sound design.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Rivas jumped from an elevated part of Interstate 310 and landed in swampland below, state police said.—
Dennis Romero,
NBC news,
9 June 2026
-
Cue to the adorable Scooby-Doo excitedly jumping into Shaggy’s (Tanner Hagen) arms.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
The flight lasted 81 minutes and was based at Edwards Air Force Base; NASA pilot Jim Less flew the milestone sortie.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
6 June 2026
-
Pérez estimates that Cuba may have only six to eight operational aircraft capable of flying combat sorties, including aging MiG-29s and MiG-23s.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
Despite all of the excellent jokes, ultimately Night Night Fawn can be nothing other than a tragedy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
In casual conversation, it’s treated as a biological footnote, something between a quirk and a joke.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
The bill would create a new framework for tackling threats posed by foreign governments and their proxies, an area critics say Britain's existing counterterrorism laws were not designed to address.—
Brittany Miller,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
-
The pitch being indoors is another challenge crews had to tackle.—
Dawn White,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
Consider it a hometown tour led by a queen who’s captivated the world but still knows exactly where to find the best pho, the coolest art, and the perfect perch to watch someone else tear up the dance floor.—
Todd Plummer,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 June 2026
-
End in Thornton for dinner and a tour at Thornton Distilling, where water for the spirits comes from an artesian limestone well dating from the 1800s.—
Midwest Living,
Midwest Living,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
Sometimes a playful comment, an unexpected reply or a joking callout between brands takes on a life of its own online.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
-
Despite that underlying tension, kids play on the street outside while the large family has a dynamic like any other — noisily squabbling, joking, or in the case of the matriarchal grandmother, Mariam (Hiam Abbass), preparing a meal in a kitchen plagued by constant utility outages.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sally. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
