smooth sailing

Idioms

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.

See Examples For:

smooth sailing

Spain's journey since their 2010 World Cup triumph has not exactly been smooth sailing.

From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026

Maybe that points to smooth sailing for SpaceX.

From Barron's ● Jun. 14, 2026

“I thought I had taken care of it and was going to have smooth sailing for 8 to 10 years and then get another one of the same thing,” Glannan said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026

It wasn’t all smooth sailing on Monday as the federal government started the process of accepting claims for massive amounts of tariff refunds.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 20, 2026

All was smooth sailing till eight weeks into their journey when, on the verge of uncharted waters, they came across the longboat filled with human bones.

From "The Reader" by Traci Chee

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

smooth sailing

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Related Words