at sea
Idioms-
Aboard a ship, on the ocean, as in Within a few hours the ship would be out at sea . During World War II a famous American newscaster addressed his radio broadcasts to listeners everywhere, including “all the ships at sea.” [1300s]
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Also, all at sea . Perplexed, bewildered, as in She was all at sea in these new surroundings . This idiom transfers the condition of a vessel that has lost its bearings to the human mind. Charles Dickens used it in Little Dorrit (1855): “Mrs. Tickit ... was so plainly at sea on this part of the case.” [Second half of 1700s]
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.
It was the struggle for supremacy at sea that remains, as Nathaniel Philbrick writes, “the center of the story.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 26, 2026
“I felt like I was at sea and the waves were shaking me,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 25, 2026
The system works by converting power from the wind farms at sea on the platform.
From Barron's • Jun. 17, 2026
“It was our only source of work,” said Flores, noting that the large boat could spend weeks at sea, netting a considerable haul.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 15, 2026
Citing his years of experience at sea, he presented himself at the offices of the National Antarctic Expedition in London.
From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong
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.
