shimmy

1 of 2

noun

shim·​my ˈshi-mē How to pronounce shimmy (audio)
plural shimmies
1
[by alteration] : chemise
2
[short for shimmy-shake] : a jazz dance characterized by a shaking of the body from the shoulders down
3
: an abnormal vibration especially in the front wheels of a motor vehicle

shimmy

2 of 2

verb

shimmied; shimmying

intransitive verb

1
: to shake, quiver, or tremble in or as if in dancing a shimmy
2
: to vibrate abnormally
used especially of automobiles
3
: shinny

Examples of shimmy in a Sentence

Verb They were shimmying on the dance floor. I shimmied into my jacket. One of the car's wheels was shimmying.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
Instead of rolling up and down in a boring straight line, Eufy shimmies! David McGrath, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2025 In space, Elio stumbles across adorable skeletons and shimmies through gacky pipes. Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2025
Verb
Knight mocked Diddy for inserting his ad-libs on Bad Boy artists’ songs and shimmying throughout their videos. Danielle Bacher, People.com, 1 July 2025 The trendy Cannes crowd who pack out the private parties up in the hills above the Croisette would have had fun shimmying to a West African beat. Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 19 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for shimmy

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1919, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shimmy was in 1837

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shimmy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shimmy. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on shimmy

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