to sail about on a pleasure trip.
to sail about, as a warship patrolling a body of water.
to travel about without a particular purpose or destination.
to fly, drive, or sail at a constant speed that permits maximum operating efficiency for sustained travel.
to travel at a moderately fast, easily controllable speed.
cruising along the highway enjoying the scenery.
to travel about slowly, looking for customers or for something demanding attention.
Taxis and police cars cruise in the downtown area.
to go or travel (often followed byover ).
Let's cruise over to my house after the concert.
Informal. to go about on the streets or in public areas in search of a sexual partner.
to cruise in (a specified area).
patrol cars cruising the neighborhood; to cruise the Caribbean.
Informal.
to move slowly through or visit (a street, park, bar, etc.) in search of a sexual partner.
to make sexual overtures to; attempt to arouse the sexual interest of.
to inspect (a tract of forest) for the purpose of estimating lumber potential.
the act of cruising.
a pleasure voyage on a ship, usually with stops at various ports.
(intr) to make a trip by sea in a liner for pleasure, usually calling at a number of ports
to sail or travel over (a body of water) for pleasure in a yacht, cruiser, etc
(intr) to search for enemy vessels in a warship
(intr) (of a vehicle, aircraft, or vessel) to travel at a moderate and efficient speed
informal (intr) to search the streets or other public places for a sexual partner
1645–55; < Dutch kruisen to cross, cruise, derivative of kruis cross
If your mom announces “We’re taking a cruise!” then pack your bags. A cruise is a vacation spent on a ship that sails the ocean, periodically stopping in ports for sightseeing. Cruise can also be a verb that describes sailing around aimlessly for fun. You might cruise the canals of Venice in a small boat. If you don’t live in Venice, you can still cruise — but you might do it in your car. Cruise can be used to describe a leisurely drive taken just for fun. You might cruise around the neighborhood on a Saturday with no real destination in mind. Cruise can also describe traveling easily at a moderate speed.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Aguilar drove toward his home on Thurston Circle, where a neighbor’s camera showed the Impala cruise down the quiet residential street, music blaring.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2026
Cruise lines often don’t provide cash reimbursements; instead, their coverage is typically a credit toward a future cruise.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 9, 2026
"Over the last week, we've done about a month's worth of bookings. That's a mix of last-minute bookings to the Mediterranean, and we're also seeing significant cruise bookings," he says.
From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026
The deadly hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship, declared over on Thursday, also shows "danger can emerge from anywhere, at any time, in ways we don't always expect".
From Barron's ● Jul. 6, 2026
The cruise ship blew its horn again, and the Argo II had a shaking fit.
From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan
Tom Cruise as a sports agent whose idealism clashes with the industry’s cutthroat economics.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 2026
Cruise lines often don’t provide cash reimbursements; instead, their coverage is typically a credit toward a future cruise.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 9, 2026
GM shut down its robotaxi division Cruise to "refocus autonomous driving development on personal vehicles".
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
Earlier this year, a widely circulated 15-second AI-generated video of Brad Pitt fighting Tom Cruise on a rooftop sparked outrage across Hollywood.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 3, 2026
Cruise ships pass by Water Island every morning.
From "Hurricane Child" by Kheryn Callender
We consume lists of the worst airports and wonder at accounts of illness-plagued cruises.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
Frederiksen informed the King while he was on board the Royal Yacht Dannebrog, the family's residence when they are on summer cruises or official visits overseas.
From BBC ● Jun. 2, 2026
Decades later, cruise ship operators got permission from the Cuban government to do business there and started using the docks for international cruises.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026
It’s more expensive being single — you’re responsible for all the bills, and you’re subject to single supplements at hotels and on cruises.
From MarketWatch ● May 20, 2026
Boats leave from the harbor for fishing trips and scenic cruises.
From "We Were Liars" by E. Lockhart
A likeable Waldo-shirted national team has cruised into the round of 16, its best performance in ages.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
The 22-year-old set the pace during a first lap of 55.54 seconds and although Hodgkinson hit the front with 300m remaining, Werro cruised past her just after they turned onto the home straight.
From BBC ● Jun. 7, 2026
Bristol Bears moved back into The Prem's top four as they cruised to an eight-try victory at bottom club Newcastle Red Bulls.
From BBC ● Apr. 24, 2026
The long-awaited sequel, “Top Gun: Maverick,” came out in June 2022 and quickly cruised to box office heights.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 16, 2026
One wintry day in April, after making his usual three o’clock pickup at 109th and Amsterdam, the Chief turned the loaded bus east at 110th Street and cruised routinely down Fifth Avenue.
From "Nine Stories" by J. D. Salinger
For a while it looked like it would be Edgbaston all over again as, set a huge 374 to win, England were cruising.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
So she and relatives of at least five other trapped people stood in the road where rescue teams kept cruising past, and blocked it, demanding attention.
From Barron's ● Jun. 28, 2026
Like Harley, Indian produces motorcycles designed for highway cruising, and its bikes have earned good reviews.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
Travel agent Alston Causey’s top choice for a domestic trip that feels international is Alaska, and he recommends cruising as the best way to tour the state.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 11, 2026
As you may remember, the Wilhelm Gustloff was built not for luxury cruising of the privileged.
From "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys
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.
