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"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"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:
Sailing from Busan New Port, the container ship -- the "PanStar Acro" -- will sail to Europe via the Arctic, testing whether a route opened by melting sea ice can be commercially viable.
From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026
Ellison was confident his proposed Warner takeover would sail through its regulatory clearances.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
The Lincoln, normally based in San Diego, set sail in November for a routine deployment to the Pacific.
From Slate ● Aug. 14, 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
If they were afraid, neither said so: it required both their full concentration to keep the sail steady and steer.
From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell
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
Once Kiki leaves her village with her constant companion Jiji, a talking cat, she sails through the skies, albeit insecurely.
From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2026
In the fictional, foggy town of “Widow’s Bay”—trying to sell itself as the next Martha’s Vineyard—Matthew Rhys smoothly sails through drama, horror and comedy with impressive range.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
According to the MarineTraffic website, Smyrtos sails under the Cameroon flag and left the Russian port of Ust-Luga on June 5, with Port Said, Egypt, listed as its destination.
From Barron's ● Jun. 14, 2026
Its masts were shattered and its grimy gray sails hung limp and torn.
From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia
In an unexpected municipal rift, town board members said that ship never should have sailed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
Then, he sailed it past first baseman Don Mattingly, bouncing it off the right-field ballboy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026
Meadows famously joked "that ship has sailed" upon learning the former English schools champion had got back in touch with Painter.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
Both ships broadcast “Chinese crew and owner” as they sailed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
Then she sailed back to her low table and quickly got rid of the fortune seeker who was there.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
It hasn't all been plain sailing - already two councillors, Steve Lewis and Rhys Carr, have left Reform to sit as independents, and a third, Nick Farmer, has been suspended by the party.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
Other prime ministers' choices reflect their own personal passions – Ted Heath donated books about music and sailing.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
"While it seems obvious that ships sailing long distances need repairs, it's simply not easy to demonstrate this," concluded Charrié.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 21, 2026
Rather than recreating a ship with computer-generated images, Nolan wanted a real one, capable of sailing on the open sea with flesh-and-blood men aboard.
From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026
“After we double the Cape, we’ll be sailing toward the equator again.”
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.
