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
see also:
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
My father sailed through Harvard in three years …—
Roger Angell
Roger Angellthe 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
see also:
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
Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 28 Apr. 2026
Riley sails on, prow forward, fighting to avoid the Imagination’s unceremonious fate, not quitting, not wishing to be retired, but battling time.
—Greg Cote
april 28, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026
Aaron Saunders, Travel + Leisure, 29 Apr. 2026
Following the war, the ship sailed the Far East once again in March 1961, according to the Naval Historical Society of Australia.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sail
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.
Noun
In a video posted on Donaldson's Instagram on Tuesday, he is seen swimming along the Ord River beside a man in a canoe, as another boat sails past him.
—Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 28 Apr. 2026
Riley sails on, prow forward, fighting to avoid the Imagination’s unceremonious fate, not quitting, not wishing to be retired, but battling time.
—Greg Cote
april 28, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
Over the course of a week, Noordam would sail from Seattle to Ketchikan, Alaska, before heading south through the scenic coast of British Columbia and the magnificent Great Bear Rainforest.
—Aaron Saunders, Travel + Leisure, 29 Apr. 2026
Following the war, the ship sailed the Far East once again in March 1961, according to the Naval Historical Society of Australia.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sail
Cite this Entry
“Sail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sail. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
