SAILS Synonyms: 68 Similar and Opposite Words

sails 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of sail

as in boats

to travel on water in a vessel I can't sail when there's any breeze at all because I get seasick easily

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in flows

to move or proceed smoothly and readily sailed through the latest assignment

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in floats

to rest or move along the surface of a liquid or in the air a leaf sailed by, carried by the breeze

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sails

2 of 2

noun

plural of sail

as in voyages

a journey over water in a vessel we went for a brief sail on the bay to relax

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of sails

Verb

The Jules Verne Trophy is awarded to the boat that sails non-stop fastest around the world. — Andrew Rice, New York Times, 24 July 2026 Adventure Canada Adventure Canada sails to remote parts of the Arctic, including Canada and Greenland, and the company’s trips feature endless fodder for photo enthusiasts. — Kristen E. Pope, Travel + Leisure, 13 July 2026 Star of the Seas still sails out of Port Canaveral, housing guests on what is tied for the title of world’s largest cruise ship. — Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 June 2026 As the ship sails the Antarctic Peninsula, passengers go on excursions, such as taking a Zodiac or kayaking, to view wildlife and immerse themselves in nature. — Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 16 June 2026 Odysseus sails closer to Scylla on the advice of Circe, who had identified Charybdis as more dangerous. — Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 12 June 2026 The moment Gabriel sails the penalty kick over the net – and PSG turns nerves into jubilation. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 30 May 2026 The crude oil tanker Idemitsu Maru sails through Ise Bay near Chita City in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, May 25, 2026, after becoming the first crude tanker bound for Japan to transit the Strait of Hormuz during the Iran war. — Mark Osborne, CBS News, 28 May 2026 The neutrino is a nearly weightless particle that sails through matter like a phantasm. — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 8 May 2026

Noun

By pulling the air over its surface, the system prevents airflow separation that normally limits conventional sails. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 9 Aug. 2026 She was recently treated to a meticulous refit and should look spectacular with the famed Mistral winds in her sails. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 4 Aug. 2026 The sails will allow the ship to harness wind power when conditions are favorable, reducing fuel consumption. — Chrissie McClatchie, Travel + Leisure, 4 Aug. 2026 The sailing season generally runs from early May through late October, weather permitting, and sunset sails and weekends are the first to fill, so booking about two weeks in advance is a good idea. — Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Aug. 2026 Each cutter was required to be built domestically, and each was equipped with specific weapons and equipment, down to the same number of inches of cloth for its sails. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 July 2026 Dream and Wish also head to Southampton for three‑ and four‑night sails to Belgium, Spain or the Netherlands, while the smaller Wonder and Magic spend November to April making quick runs to Baja from San Diego and the Yucatan from Galveston. — David Dickstein, Oc Register, 15 July 2026 The actors also learned other ways to work the ship, including casting sails, so Nolan and cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema could just shoot them working as if making a documentary. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 14 July 2026 In New York, tall ships, with their masts, rigging and white sails outlined against a blue sky, made a procession around the Statue of Liberty and up the Hudson River. — Steven Sloan, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sails

Verb

Down at the lake, boats just off the shore slowed to listen while swimmers took in the music from floaties.

— Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 18 July 2026
Shrimp boats bob in the harbor, American flags flutter from pastel porches and old oak trees draped in Spanish moss offer cool shade.

— Noreen Kompanik, Boston Herald, 19 Oct. 2025

Definition of boats

Verb

The teen was using an apparatus called a third lung, which floats on the water's surface and pumps air to divers through a breathing hose, the affidavit said.

— Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026
As each bubble traps more gas, its buoyancy increases until the bubble floats to the surface.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of floats

Noun

By the early 1850s, regional telegraph networks connected major population centers, but communication between the United States and Europe still depended on ocean voyages.

— Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Aug. 2026
Advertisement Since the Jones Act rules were first waived till the end of July, there have been 196 voyages conducted under the waiver, according to government data.

— Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of voyages

Verb

The blockage of the strait, which normally ferries 20% of the world's oil, sent global energy prices soaring.

— Kevin Breuninger,Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
Iran has effectively halted trade traveling through the Strait of Hormuz, the maritime trade route that ferries roughly 20% of the world’s petroleum.

— Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026

Definition of ferries

Verb

Traveling such vast distances between our solar system's most remote objects means New Horizons often cruises for months at a time with little to do other than passively collect data.

— Brett Tingley, Space.com, 8 July 2026
The third main character, a livestreamer named Jake Deal, cruises the night looking for chaos while narrating to his audience.

— Carolyn Kellogg, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026

Definition of cruises

Verb

Okemo hovers just above Ludlow center, in the winter outlines of trails stand out clear and white.

— Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 2 Aug. 2026
As a result, the average restaurant profit margin now hovers between a precarious 3% and 5%, and industry data suggests that up to 42% of restaurants are currently struggling just to stay in the black.

— Robert Messer, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

Definition of hovers

Cite this Entry

Style

“Sails.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sails. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of sails

verb

noun

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