Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
⛵ To travel by boat ⛵ Boat fabric 🪁 To glide smoothly 🚤 A boat trip
to sail

to sail

275 1.0
To travel on water in a boat, often using large fabric to catch wind
  • verb
  • /seɪl/
translation icon : navegar
  • It's an ocean liner that sails from London to New York.
  • sail a boat
  • sail a ship
  • sail across the ocean

I guess they just wanted to sail the high seas.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • I guess they just wanted to sail the high seas.

    The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

  • When they had done so, they watched the ship sail way up north and disappear.

    Academic text (1991)

  • So we get to sail, sail out for training, right?

  • I could sail to the mainland tomorrow.

    The Return (2024)

  • We sail from Venice a week from today.

    Francis of Assisi (1961)

  • Let's say you wanted to sail from Seattle to Hawaii.

    Chris Williamson

  • Soon the Armada would sail unopposed for Africa.

  • We're sailing to America

    Theater Camp (2023)

  • As the Vikings spread up from their homelands, many sailed W to Britain and Ireland.

  • We will sail to the island this weekend to enjoy the beach.

Synonyms

to paddle
vsto sail
57 1.4

To move a boat through water using a short oar

is usually done by hand power rather than by wind or engine
to boat
vsto sail
10 1.0

To travel on water in a small vehicle like a rowboat or motorboat

often uses wind for movement rather than other propulsion methods
to canoe
vsto sail
5 2.6

To travel in a narrow light boat using a paddle

depends on wind or other propulsion rather than human powered strokes
to voyage
vsto sail
3 4.0

To travel by ship or boat over a long distance

focuses on travel of any length not only long journeys
to raft
vsto sail
3 3.4

To travel on water using a small floating platform

is about travel using finished vessels rather than makeshift floating platforms
to motorboat
vsto sail
2 3.3

To travel in a small boat with a motor

allows travel by wind or other propulsion not only engines
to paddleboard
vsto sail
1 3.7

To move on water while standing or kneeling using a paddle

focuses on balance and standing rather than riding inside a hull for support
to motorboating
vsto sail
3.0

To drive a boat with a motor on water

uses wind or other means rather than relying on engine power
to paddleboat
vsto sail
  • US
3.4

To move a small boat by pedalling on calm water for fun

is mainly for leisure instead of general transport or long journeys
to yacht
vsto sail
7.0

To travel on a large pleasure boat for fun

covers travel for many purposes not only private or pleasure use

Antonyms

to stay put
  • Informal
133 2.0

Remain in the same place without moving

Idioms

under sail
  • Specialized
1 4.8

A boat with sails set that moves by wind

to sail close to the wind
  • Informal
1 8.1

To do something risky that almost breaks rules or laws

to sail under false colors
  • Informal
8.4

To pretend to be someone else to trick people

Phrasal Verbs

to set sail
25 2.9

To start a journey by boat or ship

to sail around
7 3.2

Travel by boat around a place like a coast or lake

to sail through
  • Informal
5 3.7

To succeed very easily at a task or exam

to make sail
  • Archaic
1 8.1

To start a journey by boat

to crowd sail
  • Specialized
9.9

To set all sails to catch as much wind as possible to make the boat go faster

Compounds

full sail
1 5.6

To work as fast and as hard as possible

square sail
  • Archaic
1 8.5

A four-sided piece of cloth hung on a bar across a ship's mast to catch the wind

balloon sail
  • Specialized
7.4

A large light sail set to catch the wind and make a boat go faster

fore-and-aft sail
  • Specialized
8.6

A sail set along the length of a boat rather than across it

lateen sail
  • Specialized
9.1

A triangular sail attached to a long slanted pole on a boat

gaff-headed sail
  • Specialized
9.9

A four-sided sail set along the boat with its top held by a sloping pole

sail foam
6.7

White bubbles that appear on the water behind a moving sailboat

press of sail
  • Archaic
9.9

The most sail a ship can safely carry in the current weather

topgallant sail
  • Specialized
9.9

A sail set high above the topsail on a sailing ship's mast

How Fast

race
∞ 1.0
to cruise
108 3.2
to sail
275 1.0
to float
645 1.0
to drift
331 2.9

Surface Forms

sail infinitive
sailed past
sailed past participle
sailing present participle
sails third person singular

Etymology

Sail as a verb originally meant to travel on water by using a 'sail', so to sail is simply to move a boat by wind or by water power.