Meanings
- Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see at, sea.
It is never possible to settle down to the ordinary routine of life at sea until the screw begins to revolve. There is an hour or two, after the passengers have embarked, which is disquieting and fussy.
1915, G[eorge] A. Birmingham [pseudonym; James Owen Hannay], chapter I, in Gossamer, New York, N.Y.: George H. Doran Company, →OCLCSynonyms: asea
- idiomaticIn a state of confusion or bewilderment.
Most of the class was at sea after the first week.
2 more examples
Oh, great, the handle just broke—well, we're really all at sea now, aren't we?
Wojciech Szczesny was then called into action twice in a minute to parry fierce drives from Djebbour and Torossidis as Arsenal's back four looked all at sea.
2011 September 28, Tom Rostance, “Arsenal 2-1 Olympiakos”, in BBC Sport
Synonyms & antonyms
prepositional phraseUsed other than figuratively or idiomatically: see at, sea.
More synonyms by meaning
adjectiveperplexed by many conflicting situations or statements; filled with bewilderment
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Translations
Danish til søs
- til søsat the ocean or sea
Finnish merellä, pihalla
- merelläat the ocean or sea
- pihallain a state of confusion or bewilderment
French en mer, noyé
- en merat the ocean or sea
- noyéin a state of confusion or bewilderment
- larguéin a state of confusion or bewilderment
Icelandic á sjó, úti
- á sjóat the ocean or sea
- útiat the ocean or sea
Italian essere in alto mare
- essere in alto marein a state of confusion or bewilderment
Norwegian Bokmål til havs
- til havsat the ocean or sea
Polish na morzu, w rozterce
- na morzuat the ocean or sea
- w roztercein a state of confusion or bewilderment
Swedish till sjöss
- till sjössat the ocean or sea
Cite this entry
at sea. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/at%20sea
“at sea.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/at%20sea. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “at sea,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/at%20sea.
Source: at sea on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.