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
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
Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 19 Feb. 2025
Image After two years of being a blonde, Ms. Mulvaney dyed her hair back to brown the week before setting sail.
—Maggie Lange, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2025
John Bleasdale, Variety, 21 Feb. 2025
The Chinese flotilla sailed to the south and arrived in the Tasman Sea 150 nautical miles east of Sydney, on Australia's east coast, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 21 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sail
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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Noun
Legend of the Seas, the third ship in the record-breaking series, will set sail from Barcelona, Spain, in 2026, the cruise line announced Tuesday.
—Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 19 Feb. 2025
Image After two years of being a blonde, Ms. Mulvaney dyed her hair back to brown the week before setting sail.
—Maggie Lange, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2025
Verb
The cameras roll, and the sea and sky, with a click of a mouse, become a tropical afternoon and a gentle swell, and Sandokan sails once more.
—John Bleasdale, Variety, 21 Feb. 2025
The Chinese flotilla sailed to the south and arrived in the Tasman Sea 150 nautical miles east of Sydney, on Australia's east coast, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 21 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sail
Cite this Entry
“Sail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sail. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
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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