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Synonyms

smooth sailing

Idioms  

  1. Easy progress, as in We had a hard time setting up the new computer system but it'll be smooth sailing from here on. The smooth in this idiom alludes to calm waters, free from big waves or roughness, a usage dating from the late 1300s. The transfer to other kinds of easy progress dates from the second half of the 1900s. Also see plain sailing.

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.

Investors are also turning their attention to the 2026 midterm elections, an occasion that isn’t known to be smooth sailing in markets.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 17, 2026

That doesn’t mean it will be smooth sailing for AI, as Oracle’s results demonstrated.

From Barron's • Dec. 12, 2025

But once the Dodger Stadium gates finally opened, everything was more or less smooth sailing.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 24, 2025

In anticipation of the annual holiday, we could all use some of Garten’s expert tips and tricks to whip up the perfect menus for a smooth sailing, memorable Thanksgiving celebration.

From Salon • Nov. 18, 2025

I mean, in all the movies and TV shows, the popular kid who ascends from the depths of dorkdom has their day in the sun, and then it’s smooth sailing.

From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan

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.