1
2
as in to flow
to move or proceed smoothly and readily
a lone hang glider skimming along just above the treetops
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to brush
to pass lightly across or touch gently especially in passing
her hand just barely skimmed the wall as she ran down the hallway
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
5
as in to peek
to take a quick or hasty look
he impatiently skimmed through the book, looking for the specific passage he remembered seeing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 skim
The sixth full moon of 2025 rose farther to the southeast than at any time since 2006, skimming the southern horizon and setting in the southwest.
—
Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally and skimming foam off top, until peaches are translucent and a candy thermometer registers 220°F, 20 to 30 minutes.
—Anne Byrn, Southern Living, 2 June 2025
But from the beginning, Chiuri was the target of critics who skimmed over the political messages of her shows and dismissed her efforts to create wearable wardrobe options for women as bland commercialism.
—Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 29 May 2025
After reenacting the initial district court trial — in which Colvin, Browder, McDonald and Smith testified—the opera skims over the Supreme Court decision upholding the ruling.
—Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for skim
Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally and skimming foam off top, until peaches are translucent and a candy thermometer registers 220°F, 20 to 30 minutes.
—Anne Byrn, Southern Living, 2 June 2025
But from the beginning, Chiuri was the target of critics who skimmed over the political messages of her shows and dismissed her efforts to create wearable wardrobe options for women as bland commercialism.
—Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 29 May 2025
After reenacting the initial district court trial — in which Colvin, Browder, McDonald and Smith testified—the opera skims over the Supreme Court decision upholding the ruling.
—Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for skim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skim
Verb
-
As this tragedy unfolds, every stone should be flipped to find ways to prevent such horrific loss of life.—
Marshall Shepherd,
Forbes.com,
6 July 2025
-
Video showed masses of children, many in shorts and flip flops or barefoot, standing in an indoor basketball gymnasium.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
6 July 2025
Verb
-
The case is likely to join a string of recent rulings from the Supreme Court's conservative majority that have unraveled campaign finance limits as violations of the First Amendment, allowing more money to flow into politics.—
June 30,
CBS News,
30 June 2025
-
The tears of relief flowed as Ivanisevic climbed up the stadium to embrace his father.—
Tim Ellis,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
Verb
-
Martz brushed off the remark and Bertram took him back to his office.—
Tony Cook,
IndyStar,
2 July 2025
-
Fixing leaks, turning off the faucet while brushing your teeth, installing water-efficient appliances and running full loads of laundry all help reduce water use.—
Claire Marks,
Austin American Statesman,
2 July 2025
Verb
-
The boat bounced across the waves, and every mile further out felt wilder and harsher, just the open sea and occasional rocky outcrops.—
James Rebanks
June 26,
Literary Hub,
26 June 2025
-
Prior to the Bulls and the Lakers, Ron bounced the ball for the Cleveland Cavaliers from 1986 to 1989 and then the L.A. Clippers from 1989 to 1994.—
Christopher Rudolph,
People.com,
25 June 2025
Verb
-
To see Henry’s butcher’s shoulders peeking out of a diamanté slip dress was a gag that kept on giving.—
Han Ong,
New Yorker,
22 June 2025
-
In the nearby Garment District — where a dramatic raid almost two weeks ago preceded a surge in Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations across Southern California, sparking volatile protests — the streets were empty except for a handful of customers peeking into stores.—
Salvador Hernandez,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2025
Verb
-
Sci-fi speedboats gliding above the water, backed by a rotating cast of celebrities.—
Kanzah Maktoum,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
-
But Ontario International Airport came in at No. 15, Hollywood Burbank Airport is at 14, John Wayne Airport landed at No. 12, and Long Beach Airport glided in at No. 2.—
Jim Radcliffe,
Oc Register,
27 June 2025
Verb
-
Other sweet shots include Harley kissing her fiancé in his arms, and two celebratory engagement cakes.—
Ashlyn Robinette,
People.com,
24 Mar. 2025
-
After the buzzer sounded, Pope ran over to hug his wife, Lee Anne, and kissed his daughters near the bench before running off to a TV interview.—
Jesse Temple,
The Athletic,
24 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Subscribers can skip boxes without penalty, and first-time users can jump in with a one-off purchase.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
30 June 2025
-
Ranged across the top of the SoundLink Plus there is a strip of soft-touch controls for turning the speaker on and off, initiating Bluetooth pairing, syncing with other Bose speakers, as well as playing and pausing music, skipping tracks and adjusting volume levels.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Skim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skim. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share