sail

1 of 2

noun

ˈsāl How to pronounce sail (audio)
 as last element in compounds often  səl
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
4
: a passage by a sailing craft : cruise
sailed adjective

Illustration of sail

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

sail

2 of 2

verb

sailed; sailing; sails

intransitive verb

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 contradictionsVicki Hearne
the 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

transitive verb

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
sailable adjective
Phrases
under sail
: in motion with sails set
sail into
: to attack vigorously or sharply
sailed into me for being late

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
Noun
The line’s first Alaska cruise will set sail on May 11, 2026, with the season running through September. Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 28 Oct. 2024 Royal Caribbean’s latest ship, Utopia of the Seas, set sail this summer. Michelle Fox, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2024
Verb
Yes, that final pass from Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels did sail 52 yards into the end zone at Northwest Stadium, tipped upward from a seven-player scrum and into the arms of receiver Noah Brown across the goal line. Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 2024 Swelling trumpets accompany a cheerleader’s final splint stunt as a larger-than-life American flag unfurls and the choir sails off on a cruise line, capping off the gargantuan effort to bring the unexpected Saturday Night Live-like treat to a close. Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for sail 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sail.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English segl; akin to Old High German segal sail

First Known Use

Noun

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

Verb

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of sail was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near sail

Cite this Entry

“Sail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sail. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

sail

1 of 2 noun
ˈsā(ə)l How to pronounce sail (audio)
 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 verb
1
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on sail

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