sailing

noun

sail·​ing ˈsā-liŋ 

1

a

: the technical skill of managing a ship : navigation

b

: the method of determining the course to be followed to reach a given point

2

a

: the sport of handling or riding in a sailboat

b

: a departure from a port

Examples of sailing in a Sentence

They're going sailing next week.

Recent Examples on the Web

China's most advanced aircraft carrier, CNS Fujian, which has yet to be commissioned, was spotted on Thursday sailing toward the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea. —Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025

How to cruise in Patagonia Expedition cruise lines offer Patagonia itineraries ranging from five to 17 days in length, sailing between various port cities across Chile and Argentina, from Santiago to Ushuaia. —Stefanie Waldek, AFAR Media, 12 Sep. 2025

Malcolm McKeon, a longtime designer most famous for his simple-but-elegant sailing superyachts, jettisoned the pomp and circumstance seen on many motoryacht profiles for pure architectural lines. —Tristan Rutherford, Robb Report, 12 Sep. 2025

For voyages that have three or more consecutive days at sea, children must be at least one year of age as of the sailing date. —Amanda Eyre Ward, Travel + Leisure, 12 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing sailing

• clear sailing
• plain sailing
• sailing ship
• smooth sailing

Rhymes for sailing

• ailing
• bailing
• baling
• failing
• flailing
• grayling
• hailing
• jailing
• mailing
• nailing
• paling
• railing