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

Shortly after, on Tuesday, March 24, the flagship of the Convoy Nuestra América arrived in Havana after four days of sailing. —Uriel Blanco, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2026

Maersk had said earlier in March that the situation in the Middle East had prompted it to pause future trans-Suez sailings through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait until further notice. —Azhar Sukri, CNBC, 28 Mar. 2026

When Jamie’s beloved nephew Young Ian, son of his sister Jenny and Ian Murray, is kidnapped and held on a ship sailing to Jamaica, Claire and Jamie chase after him by hitching a ride on the Artemis. —Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2026

Morales said at a press conference that the vessel has not yet been identified because, as of early March, there were 13 ships sailing in the area that had not yet been inspected. —ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026

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