sailing

noun

sail·​ing ˈsā-liŋ 

1

a

: the technical skill of managing a ship : navigation

b

: the method of determining the course to be followed to reach a given point

2

a

: the sport of handling or riding in a sailboat

b

: a departure from a port

Examples of sailing in a Sentence

They're going sailing next week.

Recent Examples on the Web

Walker had spent time in graduate school sailing and knew these logbooks—the most important document carried on a ship, as insurance claims depended on its contents—would contain weather data of great interest to an ocean climate scientist like Ummenhofer. —Benjamin Cassidy, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 June 2024

The sailings come just days after the Port of Baltimore officially reopened the channel following the refloat and removal of the cargo ship that crashed into the bridge. —Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 28 May 2024

The port logistics team for Royal Caribbean is working on alternatives for the Vision of the Seas’ ongoing and upcoming sailings, a spokesperson said in an email. —Maya Lora, Baltimore Sun, 26 Mar. 2024

After that, the resort curates a personalized trip itinerary for the family, including scheduled activities like snorkeling or sailing. —Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 19 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing sailing

• clear sailing
• plain sailing
• sailing ship
• smooth sailing