clear sailing
Unimpeded forward progress
Clear sailing means easy progress without obstacles or difficulties.
The phrase comes from nautical experience—a ship with no storms, reefs, or contrary winds ahead.
It usually appears after a period of trouble has passed: Once we secured the permit, it was clear sailing from there.
Also smooth sailing.
- green lightAuthorization to proceed
- seamlessWithout visible joins
- unhinderedNot held back
- flowingMoving continuously onward
- smoothWithout roughness or difficulty
open road · easy street · unobstructed · safe harbor · progress · advancement · easy · trouble-free · straightforward · effortless · easy going · open sea · home free · unchallenging · full speed ahead · simple · peace of mind · golden opportunity
- Easy Thingseasy, simple, easy peasy, easy-peasy, easy as pie
- Nautical Idiomsbatten down the hatches, all hands on deck, three sheets to the wind, in the same boat, rock the boat
clear sailingrough going
Arduous progress through obstacles
uphill battle · rough seas · hard slog · tough sledding · rough sledding
clear sailingrough seas
Turbulent ocean conditions
stormy seas · heavy weather · tempest · squall · gale
clear sailingrough weather
turbulence · adversity · hard times · dire straits · crisis
clear, sail, sailing, clearly, clearer, clearest, clearness, unclear, clearance