sail
Americannoun
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sails
plural
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an area of canvas or other fabric extended to the wind in such a way as to transmit the force of the wind to an assemblage of spars and rigging mounted firmly on a hull, raft, iceboat, etc., so as to drive it along.
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some similar piece or apparatus, as the part of an arm that catches the wind on a windmill.
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a voyage or excursion, especially in a sailing vessel.
They went for a sail around the island.
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a sailing vessel or ship.
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sailing vessels collectively.
The fleet numbered 30 sail.
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sails for a vessel or vessels collectively.
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Astronomy. Sail, the constellation Vela.
verb (used without object)
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sails,
present (3rd person singular)
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sailed,
past participle, past
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sailing
present participle
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to move along or travel over water.
steamships sailing to Lisbon.
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to manage a sailboat, especially for sport.
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to begin a journey by water.
We are sailing at dawn.
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to move along in a manner suggestive of a sailing vessel.
caravans sailing along.
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to move along in a stately, effortless way.
to sail into a room.
verb (used with object)
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sails,
present (3rd person singular)
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sailed,
past participle, past
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sailing
present participle
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to sail upon, over, or through.
to sail the seven seas.
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to navigate (a vessel).
verb phrase
idioms
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set sail, to start a sea voyage.
We set sail at midnight for Nantucket.
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in sail, with the sails set.
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make sail,
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to set the sail or sails of a boat or increase the amount of sail already set.
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to set out on a voyage.
Make sail for the Leeward Islands.
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under sail, with sails set; in motion; sailing.
It was good to be under sail in the brisk wind and under the warm sun.
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trim one's sails, to cut expenses; economize.
We're going to have to trim our sails if we stay in business.
noun
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an area of fabric, usually Terylene or nylon (formerly canvas), with fittings for holding it in any suitable position to catch the wind, used for propelling certain kinds of vessels, esp over water
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a voyage on such a vessel
a sail down the river
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a vessel with sails or such vessels collectively
to travel by sail
we raised seven sail in the northeast
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a ship's sails collectively
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something resembling a sail in shape, position, or function, such as the part of a windmill that is turned by the wind or the part of a Portuguese man-of-war that projects above the water
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the conning tower of a submarine
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having the sail set
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to run up the sail or to run up more sail
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to begin a voyage
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-
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to embark on a voyage by ship
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to hoist sail
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-
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with sail hoisted
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under way
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verb
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to travel in a boat or ship
we sailed to Le Havre
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to begin a voyage; set sail
we sail at 5 o'clock
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(of a vessel) to move over the water
the liner is sailing to the Caribbean
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(tr) to manoeuvre or navigate a vessel
he sailed the schooner up the channel
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(tr) to sail over
she sailed the Atlantic single-handed
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to move fast or effortlessly
we sailed through customs
the ball sailed over the fence
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to move along smoothly; glide
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informal
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to begin (something) with vigour
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to make an attack (on) violently with words or physical force
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Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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sailsimple
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sailssimple
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have sailedperfect
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has sailedperfect
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am sailingprogressive
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are sailingprogressive
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is sailingprogressive
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have been sailingperfect progressive
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has been sailingperfect progressive
Past
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sailedsimple
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had sailedperfect
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was sailingprogressive
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were sailingprogressive
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had been sailingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of sail
First recorded before 900; (noun) Middle English sail(e), seille, Old English segl; cognate with German Segel, Old Norse segl; (verb) Middle English seillen, saylen, Old English siglan, seglian; cognate with Dutch zeilen, Old Norse sigla
Explanation
A sail is the big piece of cloth attached to a mast that propels a sailboat through the water by catching the wind. Part of learning to sail a boat is learning how to use the sails. Most sailboats have two sails, the mainsail and the jib or headsail on the front of the boat. When you sail, you pilot the boat, or simply ride on it — you can also say you go for a sail. Additionally, the verb sail is used when something seems to float on the air: "The kite sails high in the blue sky." You "sail through" something when it's very easy and quick.
Vocabulary lists containing sail
Higher Learning: Synonyms For "Up"
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"Encounter"
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Greetings, World Traveler! — List 3
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The Lincoln, normally based in San Diego, set sail in November for a routine deployment to the Pacific.
From Slate ● Aug. 14, 2026
That sweetener was intended as a show of confidence that Paramount’s deal would sail through its regulatory reviews, unlike a Netflix acquisition that faced more regulatory scrutiny.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
If hidden barrels are nearly gone, then Nuttall says there’s a new data point to watch—not how much trapped oil has already escaped, but the dearth of tankers willing to sail back.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
When the attacks somewhat subsided a few days later, the vessel unloaded its cargo and was asked to sail eastwards via the Strait of Hormuz.
From Barron's ● Aug. 4, 2026
Gingersnipes emerged with a long, flat stick, and they set sail across the sludgy pond.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
If a ship sails, that means the conditions are safe enough to travel—however rocky the water may feel, according to Roussos.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
As she’s recently learned, it’s an adventure that sails smack into islands of musky internet trolls and clashes with cinematic and literary titans like Christopher Nolan and Joyce Carol Oates.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
At the end of the film, Matt Damon’s haggard Odysseus sails toward the unknown, accepting that he doesn’t deserve the comfort of a king.
From Salon ● Jul. 21, 2026
According to tracking website MarineTraffic, Smyrtos sails under a Cameroon flag.
From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026
But she also knew how to get back on and push the boat right side up, and how to pull the sails and steer.
From "Nim’s Island" by Wendy Orr
Then, he sailed it past first baseman Don Mattingly, bouncing it off the right-field ballboy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026
Castillo’s bill passed unanimously in the Assembly earlier this year and sailed through the Senate Judiciary Committee in June with bipartisan support.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
On the passenger list of the Guiné, which sailed from Lisbon for New York on May 10, 1941, Heinrich Blücher appeared as a 41-year-old author and Hannah Arendt simply as his 34-year-old wife.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
Its powerful Revolutionary Guards have been stopping vessels trying to transit the trade route in recent days, including six that state television on Monday said had sailed outside Iran's designated route.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
Once the Advance had sailed far enough north, letters could only be sent or received sporadically, when passed from ship to ship.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
The Taipei could be seen sailing alongside a U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
Close-up pictures show the vessel is named Tihamah which, according to ship-tracking platform MarineTraffic, is in the Red Sea off Warner Point and is sailing under the flag of Tanzania.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
It’s been sailing drones into Moscow, which is a pretty major innovation.
From Slate ● Aug. 6, 2026
The Long Beach Convention Center is hosting handball, water polo and other events, while beach volleyball will be held at Alamitos Beach, and open water swimming and sailing will be at Belmont Shore.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
“That,” Nat told him, “is what I’m sailing by! That’s an ash breeze!”
From "Carry On, Mr. Bowditch" by Jean Lee Latham
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
