cruised; cruising
1
: to sail about touching at a series of ports
2
: to move or proceed speedily, smoothly, or effortlessly
I'll cruise over to her house to see if she's home
3
: to travel without destination or purpose
4
a
: to go about the streets at random but on the lookout for possible developments
the cabdriver cruised for an hour before being hailed
b
: to search (as in public places) for a sexual partner
5
a
of an airplane
: to fly at the most efficient operating speed
b
of an automobile
: to travel at a speed suitable for being maintained for a long distance
1
: to cruise over or about
2
: to inspect (land) with reference to possible lumber yield
3
a
: to search in (a public place) for a sexual partner
b
: to approach and suggest sexual relations to
4
: to explore or search the offerings of
Synonyms
Examples of cruise in a Sentence
Verb
We cruised for a week down the Yangtze River.
He dreams of cruising the Mediterranean.
The bus was cruising at 55 miles per hour.
We were cruising along the highway.
The plane was cruising at 30,000 feet.
On Friday nights, teenagers cruise the main street in town to show off their cars.
A car cruised past us.
Noun
We went on a weeklong cruise down the Yangtze River.
They went on a cruise for their honeymoon.
Recent Examples on the Web
Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 15 Jan. 2025
The Chicago Bulls guard is cruising through a six-game streak with 30 or more points.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 13 Jan. 2025
Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 15 Jan. 2025
Instead of heading straight to the buffet—often the busiest dining spot—check the cruise lines’ apps for other options.
—David Nikel, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for cruise 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
Listen to this article Sen. Marco Rubio and former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi cruised through the start of Senate confirmation hearings Wednesday as President-elect Trump’s key cabinet nominees move forward with few apparent major snags.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 15 Jan. 2025
The Chicago Bulls guard is cruising through a six-game streak with 30 or more points.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 13 Jan. 2025
Noun
The cruise line did not immediately provide a comment.
—Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 15 Jan. 2025
Instead of heading straight to the buffet—often the busiest dining spot—check the cruise lines’ apps for other options.
—David Nikel, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for cruise
Dictionary Entries Near cruise
Cite this Entry
“Cruise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cruise. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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