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
With a pixie cut, Duwaji’s personal style leans toward the understated, including her pairing of long shorts with an oversize buckle, midriff-skimming one-shoulder top and cowboy boots.
—
Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 4 Nov. 2025
Alba sent a low cross skimming through the six-yard box, right into the path of winger Tadeo Allende.
—Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
The 500-kilovolt line would skim a parking lot, cross through the woods and over a metal deer fence, before running diagonally across a field of Douglas firs and blue spruces and continuing as far as the eye could see.
—Bracey Harris, NBC news, 1 Nov. 2025
There is voice-over used to info-dump about plot points that would otherwise be unclear, a lengthy montage that skims multiple days of the story, and an opening framing device that was clearly hastily crafted to try to justify why The Rats now comes after The Witcher season four, not before.
—Scott Meslow, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for skim
Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 4 Nov. 2025
Alba sent a low cross skimming through the six-yard box, right into the path of winger Tadeo Allende.
—Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
The 500-kilovolt line would skim a parking lot, cross through the woods and over a metal deer fence, before running diagonally across a field of Douglas firs and blue spruces and continuing as far as the eye could see.
—Bracey Harris, NBC news, 1 Nov. 2025
There is voice-over used to info-dump about plot points that would otherwise be unclear, a lengthy montage that skims multiple days of the story, and an opening framing device that was clearly hastily crafted to try to justify why The Rats now comes after The Witcher season four, not before.
—Scott Meslow, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for skim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skim
Verb
-
Voters will decide whether to pass Proposition 50, a ballot initiative redrawing California’s congressional districts to flip five House seats from Republican to Democratic in next year’s midterms.—
Lia Russell,
Sacbee.com,
3 Nov. 2025
-
In August 2020, five orcas chased a juvenile white shark, pushed it to the surface, and flipped it onto its back.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
People pour in from the dense warrens of India’s financial capital and from dusty villages thousands of kilometers away, all flowing towards the fortified, sea-facing Mumbai home of actor Shah Rukh Khan.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Walk through the front door and the layout flows uninterrupted into multiple living areas highlighted by warm cherry wood accents, fine architectural details and an abundance of natural light.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Use your hands to brush off or shake excess soil from the roots.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
5 Nov. 2025
-
The skewers of meat brushed with soy and roasted over coals on Belém’s streets arrived with Japanese migration to the region from the 1930s onward.—
Michael Snyder,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The barrel spun toward shortstop as the ball bounced to Mookie Betts, who grabbed it in stride, stepped on second for one out and fired to Freddie Freeman to end the season.—
Tyler Kepner,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
-
As the sun sets, the room bounces in the light of flickering tapers, dripping wax in shades of merlot and blush down to their vintage saucers.—
Lyndsay C. Green,
Freep.com,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Behind those waiting along the driveway, a tan fence concealed the demolition of the East Wing, though a yellow bulldozer peeked out over the top.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Even her glam, by makeup artist Soo Park, centered around this rose color, including a barely-there nude lip with just a hint of rosy pink color peeking through.—
Ana Serrano,
Glamour,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The nozzle pours a thick stream of concrete while gliding precisely on its course, stacking each layer, one after another, about an inch thick.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacbee.com,
8 Nov. 2025
-
China has deployed and tested hypersonic glide vehicles and road-mobile systems, such as the DF-17/DF-ZF family, which are typically characterized as gliding at Mach 5–10 and designed to complicate missile-defense engagement.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is pressing charges against a man who was caught on camera touching and attempting to kiss her during a public appearance on Tuesday.—
Ellie Cook,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
-
In a separate celebratory speech that evening, the pair shared another sweet moment at the podium in which Mamdani kissed her on the cheek.—
Jordana Comiter,
PEOPLE,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Most were teenagers skipping school, though there was a scattering of grown-ups and a couple of families with younger children.—
George Packer,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Those numbers might seem small, but across a state of nearly eight million people, the gap represents thousands who are delaying or skipping care altogether.—
Sixteen Ramos,
AZCentral.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Skim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skim. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share