skate

verb

skated; skating

intransitive verb

1

: to glide along on skates propelled by the alternate action of the legs

2

: to slip or glide as if on skates

3

: to proceed in a superficial or blithe manner

transitive verb

: to go along or through by skating

Examples of skate in a Sentence

hockey players skating into position

Couples skated around the rink.

She skated an excellent program in the competition.

We skate at the park.

The bugs skated along the surface of the water.

Recent Examples on the Web

Their best friends, on the other hand, are skating on thin ice. —Kenneal Patterson, Vanity Fair, 29 May 2026

Keep reading to find out which Briar U hottie is skating to center stage next. —Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 28 May 2026

Rogowski is one of the best pure athletes in the class, a 6-foot-7 center who can skate and showed decent offense over the course of the season. —Corey Pronman, New York Times, 27 May 2026

Just like in the NHL with the Stanley Cup, players hand off the Gagarin Cup to each other and skate it around a little. —Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1696, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing skate

• figure skate
• hockey skate
• ice-skate
• in-line skate
• roller skate
• skate over/around
• skate park

Rhymes for skate

• ate
• bait
• bate
• cate
• crate
• date
• eight
• fait
• fate
• fete
• frate
• freight

Kids Definition

skate

1 of 3 noun

ˈskāt 

: any of numerous rays that have broad winglike fins

skate

2 of 3 noun

1

: a metallic runner fitting the sole of a shoe or a shoe with a permanently attached runner used for gliding on ice

2

: roller skate

skate

3 of 3 verb

skated; skating

1

: to glide along on skates

2

: to slide or move as if on skates

skater noun