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

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smooth sailing

It wasn't always smooth sailing, and a leg break while playing for the Republic of Ireland, who he had captained at Euro 2016 the previous year, threatened his career.

From BBC ● May 15, 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

Development has not been smooth sailing though, with makers IO Interactive announcing a two-month delay to the release in December to "further polish" it.

From BBC ● Apr. 16, 2026

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

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

smooth sailing

Example Sentences

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