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
shimmied; shimmying
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
Bryan West, USA Today, 5 Oct. 2025
Dressed in a black hat, black bell-bottoms, and a jacket with turquoise accents, the Louisiana country singer gave a soulful, twangy reading of the riverboat tale, effortlessly commanding the crowd with just a few shimmies and finger points.
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2025
Michel Mejía, Vogue, 15 Oct. 2025
When Polanco lashed the game-winner, through the right side off a Tommy Kahnle changeup, Crawford shimmied off third with a spin.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shimmy
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Noun
Album artwork ends the video Swift shimmies onto a cart.
—Bryan West, USA Today, 5 Oct. 2025
Dressed in a black hat, black bell-bottoms, and a jacket with turquoise accents, the Louisiana country singer gave a soulful, twangy reading of the riverboat tale, effortlessly commanding the crowd with just a few shimmies and finger points.
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
Cigarette jeans have been part of the aesthetic discourse since the ’80s, when Lady Diana, Cindy Crawford, and Farrah Fawcett were among the biggest advocates of shimmying into the skinnier shape.
—Michel Mejía, Vogue, 15 Oct. 2025
When Polanco lashed the game-winner, through the right side off a Tommy Kahnle changeup, Crawford shimmied off third with a spin.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shimmy
Cite this Entry
“Shimmy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shimmy. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
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