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
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Recent Examples of skim
Cook, partially covered, until the squash is tender, 15 to 20 minutes, skimming the surface of the stock, if necessary.
—
Kathryn Gregory, Louisville Courier Journal, 14 Oct. 2025
According to Oza’s analyses, the erupting orb would have to be within one planetary radius of WASP-39b—practically skimming the planet’s cloud tops.
—Nola Taylor Tillman, Scientific American, 13 Oct. 2025
One of them skimmed past Joonas Korpisalo after deflecting off Tanner Jeannot.
—Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
The modal-cotton blend is supersoft yet not see-through, and the slim cut skims the body for a flattering fit.
—Brigitt Earley, Glamour, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for skim
Kathryn Gregory, Louisville Courier Journal, 14 Oct. 2025
According to Oza’s analyses, the erupting orb would have to be within one planetary radius of WASP-39b—practically skimming the planet’s cloud tops.
—Nola Taylor Tillman, Scientific American, 13 Oct. 2025
One of them skimmed past Joonas Korpisalo after deflecting off Tanner Jeannot.
—Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
The modal-cotton blend is supersoft yet not see-through, and the slim cut skims the body for a flattering fit.
—Brigitt Earley, Glamour, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for skim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skim
Verb
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Instead of flipping the bonus tools out of the knife handle, tying them on an accompanying lanyard, or integrating them into the sheath, KEA designs a hexagonal wheel multitool out of the lanyard attachment point at the base of the handle.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
27 Oct. 2025
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The track starts off with an opulent string arrangement and a choir, with the lyrics flipping between German and Spanish.—
Julyssa Lopez,
Rolling Stone,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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As Snell continued to tire and miss his spots, Toronto’s opportunities kept flowing.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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Drawings of the Duffield Cave, as seen in the YouTube video, show that the section has a narrow entrance, then curves upward before flowing left, dropping down again and bending right before angling back up to a larger chamber.—
Mark Gray,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Her bob cut complemented the neckline, with her blond tips just barely brushing her collarbone.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
29 Oct. 2025
-
The wind from its wings brushed her skin.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The camera then panned to Sophia, who was happily bouncing in mom Alex’s arms while wearing a white sweater with her name embroidered in script across the front and a tiny white hair bow.—
Rachel McRady,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
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The shareholder meetings give the youngest Browns in the sixth and seventh generations, and their distant cousins, a chance to meet and bounce ideas off one another.—
Maggie Menderski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Black gums and sycamores peek out alongside winding forest roads in southern Indiana while beech and maple trees shoot up in the understory of older, taller oaks.—
Sophie Hartley,
IndyStar,
29 Oct. 2025
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Thicker, fuller black lashes began peeking out from my eyelids, while my existing lashes started to look fuller.—
Essence,
Essence,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Porter, who was wearing forest-green DaddyGoFish waders, glided into the waist-deep rapids and walked a line between them, periodically dipping small plastic bottles into the water and then depositing them into a mesh bag.—
Katie Thornton,
New Yorker,
24 Oct. 2025
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Other mammals — like flying squirrels and flying lemurs — can only glide, despite their names.—
Kirsten Fiscus,
Nashville Tennessean,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Mother kissed Lance’s tiny fist.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
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The cast and crew joined the event, and Curtis sold kisses at a fair and befriended Tull.—
Trish Deitch,
Variety,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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For frequent flyers, saving an hour (and skipping the chaos of baggage claim) feels nothing short of revolutionary.—
Maddie Hiatt,
Travel + Leisure,
30 Oct. 2025
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More than 20% reported skipping meals entirely to make ends meet.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Skim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skim. Accessed 2 Nov. 2025.
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