Illustration of sail
- 1 flying jib
- 2 jib
- 3 forestaysail
- 4 foresail
- 5 fore gaff-topsail
- 6 main-topmast staysail
- 7 mainsail
- 8 main gaff-topsail
1
a(1)
: an extent of fabric (such as canvas) by means of which wind is used to propel a ship through water
(2)
: the sails of a ship
b
plural usually sail
: a ship equipped with sails
2
: an extent of fabric used in propelling a wind-driven vehicle (such as an iceboat)
3
: something that resembles a sail
especially
: a streamlined conning tower on a submarine
sailed; sailing; sails
1
a
: to travel on water in a ship
b
: yacht
2
a
: to travel on water by the action of wind upon sails or by other means
b
: to move or proceed easily, gracefully, nonchalantly, or without resistance
sails through all sorts of contradictions—
Vicki Hearne
Vicki Hearnethe bill sailed through the legislature
c
: to move through the air
the ball sailed over his head
3
: to begin a water voyage
sail with the tide
1
a
: to travel on (water) by means of motive power (such as sail)
sail the ocean
b
: to glide through
2
: to direct or manage the motion of
sail a ship
Synonyms
Examples of sail in a Sentence
Noun
Wind filled the sails and our journey had begun.
raising and lowering the ship's sails
a sail to San Francisco
Verb
We'll sail along the coast.
He sailed around the world on a luxury liner.
She sailed the Atlantic coastline.
She's sailing a boat in tomorrow's race.
The ship was sailed by a crew of 8.
I've been sailing since I was a child.
a ship that has sailed the seven seas
We sat on the shore watching boats sail by.
We sail at 9 a.m. tomorrow.
They sail for San Francisco next week.
Recent Examples on the Web
Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
The Modena had set sail for England from Barbados just over a month before.
—Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
On October 23, biologists put Moira on a boat, then sailed 8 miles out to sea.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sail 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Noun
The affected vessel, which set sail on Tuesday on a seven-day cruise, was originally scheduled to visit islands in the Western Caribbean, including Jamaica and the Cayman Islands.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
The Modena had set sail for England from Barbados just over a month before.
—Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
The deployment of the Shandong beyond the first island chain might explain the increase in Chinese military aircraft activity in airspace south of Taiwan since Sunday, as the aircraft carrier sailed in nearby waters while leaving the South China Sea for the Philippine Sea.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
On October 23, biologists put Moira on a boat, then sailed 8 miles out to sea.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sail
Dictionary Entries Near sail
Cite this Entry
“Sail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sail. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sail
1 of 2 noun
ˈsā(ə)l 
as last element in compounds often səl
1
a
: a sheet of fabric (as canvas) used to catch wind to move a craft through water or over ice
b
: the sails of a ship
under full sail
c
plural usually sail
: a ship with sails
2
: something like a sail
3
: a journey by ship
sail
2 of 2 verb1
: to travel on water in a ship
sail the seas
2
: to travel by a sailing craft
3
: to move or glide along
sailed into the room
4
: to manage the sailing of
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