1
as in stabbing
to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object
let's skewer our marshmallows on these sticks and start toasting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in ridiculing
to make (someone or something) the object of unkind laughter
the satirical comic strip gleefully skewers many of society's sacred cows
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 skewering
The ensemble comedy garnered critical praise for its steady stream of zaniness and quickly gained a reputation for deftly skewering suburban life while still maintaining a general sweetness of tone.
—
Will Harris, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2026
The claim set off a frenzy of online memes and commentators skewering the 63-year-old Ivy League graduate rolling up his sleeves and firing up the combine.
—Nick Penzenstadler, USA Today, 21 Dec. 2025
As satire, Next to Heaven is unintelligible, as though someone is universalizing their own hangups and then skewering them for clout.
—Literary Hub, 17 Dec. 2025
The new episodes are extra acidic, skewering the industry while illustrating how much easier female solidarity is to sell than to practice.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2025
While the majority of commentary online seemed to take Thug’s move as a misstep, there’s an undertone to the cover that at once acknowledges the current moment’s eerie push toward white nationalism while skewering the concept on its face.
—Rolling Stone, 26 Sep. 2025
Cocktail picks Don’t forget to complete each drink with a fun cocktail pick for skewering those olives.
—Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
While Jane Austen is best known for skewering the vagaries of romantic love in her novels, there is another, equally complicated and meaningful type of relationship that runs through them, too — that of siblings.
—Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025
The stakes are high but the tone is mostly buoyant and light, skewering the balance of power, wealth and privilege in America while playing it straight.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2025
Will Harris, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2026
The claim set off a frenzy of online memes and commentators skewering the 63-year-old Ivy League graduate rolling up his sleeves and firing up the combine.
—Nick Penzenstadler, USA Today, 21 Dec. 2025
As satire, Next to Heaven is unintelligible, as though someone is universalizing their own hangups and then skewering them for clout.
—Literary Hub, 17 Dec. 2025
The new episodes are extra acidic, skewering the industry while illustrating how much easier female solidarity is to sell than to practice.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2025
While the majority of commentary online seemed to take Thug’s move as a misstep, there’s an undertone to the cover that at once acknowledges the current moment’s eerie push toward white nationalism while skewering the concept on its face.
—Rolling Stone, 26 Sep. 2025
Cocktail picks Don’t forget to complete each drink with a fun cocktail pick for skewering those olives.
—Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
While Jane Austen is best known for skewering the vagaries of romantic love in her novels, there is another, equally complicated and meaningful type of relationship that runs through them, too — that of siblings.
—Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025
The stakes are high but the tone is mostly buoyant and light, skewering the balance of power, wealth and privilege in America while playing it straight.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skewering
Verb
-
Later that month, another jury said Rafael Andres should be sent back to Florida’s Death Row for beating, stabbing and strangling a La Carreta waitress with a rice cooker cord in 2005.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Cincinnati crime fell under the microscope after the viral brawl in July and the stabbing death of an Over-the-Rhine resident and business owner in his own home.—
Scott Wartman,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
But this heavy tide of content ridiculing any notion of his lasting importance to the American republic suggests a far different fate.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
21 Dec. 2025
-
By the 1830s, politicians had stopped ridiculing America’s growing canal system.—
Matthew Smith,
The Conversation,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Pinjar thus starts out with Hamida’s disgust, puncturing notions of maternal affection revered in mainstream South Asian (and other) narratives.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
30 Oct. 2025
-
In a separate case in February, five Israeli reservists were charged over the beating and stabbing of a detainee, accused in an indictment of breaking the man’s ribs, puncturing his lung and tearing his rectum.—
Daniele Hamamdjian,
NBC news,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Ricky Gervais has hosted the Golden Globes five times, making Hollywood sweat with his take-no-prisoners approach to jokes mocking showbiz.—
William Earl,
Variety,
30 Dec. 2025
-
Now Sweeney, 75, is breaking his silence on a decades-long feud with Chevy Chase after Chase proposed Sweeney appear in an SNL sketch mocking the AIDS epidemic.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
To their right, a woman raised her hand, jabbing her index finger forward and shouting.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Oct. 2025
-
Fans have speculated that Ice and Cardi have been jabbing at one another.—
Michael Saponara,
Billboard,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
When the sun goes down, three beams of light will illuminate the sky over the town that was, piercing the darkness that this time last year was lit with the unholy glow of a fire raging, with no end in sight.—
Dana Goodyear,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
-
In addition to a new piercing placement, North also wore one of her new Christmas presents, a 106-carat diamond skull pendant that was gifted by mom Kardashian, 45.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
4 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
From the costume-picking process to the crazy disguises stars must wear off camera, keep scrolling for the wildest rules contestants on The Masked Singer must follow.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Other photos show them on the sand with their arms around each other and sharing a kiss, with Tatum picking her up and holding her over his head at one point.—
Lori A Bashian,
FOXNews.com,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
As the humpback plunges back below the surface the remoras, also known as sucker fish, return to the whale, sticking their landings with the timing and precision of Olympic gymnasts.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Braid my hair at the top, sticking straight up.—
Stephanie Mansfield,
Vogue,
2 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Skewering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skewering. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share