1
as in flipping
to turn over pages in an idle or cursory manner
I'll just skim through a few styling magazines and see if something interesting catches my eye
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2
as in flowing
to move or proceed smoothly and readily
a lone hang glider skimming along just above the treetops
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3
as in brushing
to pass lightly across or touch gently especially in passing
her hand just barely skimmed the wall as she ran down the hallway
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4
as in bouncing
to strike and fly off at an angle
the rock just skimmed the surface of the water
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5
as in glancing
to take a quick or hasty look
he impatiently skimmed through the book, looking for the specific passage he remembered seeing
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Recent Examples of skimming
They can also be seen skimming horizontally across the top of the atmosphere.
—
Jules-Pierre Malartre, Space.com, 8 June 2026
Her floor-skimming hemline featured a rhinestone trim that trailed up her skirt, adding some extra sparkle to every step.
—Lara Walsh, InStyle, 3 June 2026
The company’s smaller New Shepard rockets soar from Texas, skimming space for a few minutes with tourists and science experiments.
—Marcia Dunn, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
Instead of skimming a phrasebook in a hotel lobby, students split their days between classroom instruction and real-world practice in markets, kitchens and cafés, often staying with host families who become part of the experience.
—Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for skimming
Jules-Pierre Malartre, Space.com, 8 June 2026
Her floor-skimming hemline featured a rhinestone trim that trailed up her skirt, adding some extra sparkle to every step.
—Lara Walsh, InStyle, 3 June 2026
The company’s smaller New Shepard rockets soar from Texas, skimming space for a few minutes with tourists and science experiments.
—Marcia Dunn, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
Instead of skimming a phrasebook in a hotel lobby, students split their days between classroom instruction and real-world practice in markets, kitchens and cafés, often staying with host families who become part of the experience.
—Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for skimming
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skimming
Verb
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The evening concluded with graduates receiving their diplomas before flipping their tassels and tossing their caps into the air to celebrate the start of their next chapter.—
Stephanie Ogilvie,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 June 2026
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The entire lighting system can be neutralized by flipping a single switch, obliterating all visibility except for a spotlight on the enemy’s crotch.—
Dahlia Gallin Ramirez,
New Yorker,
9 June 2026
Verb
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Billions of dollars are flowing into the game through the NBA’s new TV deal, with even more money likely on the horizon thanks to expansion fees.—
Nick Friedell,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
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That’s hardly the only public money flowing to Kansas City’s World Cup hosting efforts, which include six matches that will be played between June 16 and July 11.—
Justin Birnbaum,
Sportico.com,
16 June 2026
Verb
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Up close, the shaggy layers framed her face effortlessly, with the shortest layers brushing just past her eyes and the longest layers grazing her jaw bone.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
6 June 2026
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At first, the backup may occur only during longer periods of use, such as when washing your face or brushing your teeth.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
6 June 2026
Verb
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Bungee jumping uses elastic rubber cords that create a vertical, bouncing effect, whereas rope jumping uses low-stretch climbing ropes that convert the fall into a horizontal, pendulum swing.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 June 2026
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Sticky skin glistened from a long day spent bouncing between stages, making every cool breeze feel like a small gift.—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
Verb
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Putting to one side any uglier consequences of illness or less fixable emotional wounds, the film follows suit — though there’s only a glancing sense here that death is for life, not just for Christmas.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
11 Dec. 2025
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Instead of peering down at your phone at every corner to find your way around a new city, or glancing down to see translations during a conversation with a foreign language speaker, glasses like Google’s can show and recite information right near your line of sight and in your ear.—
Lisa Eadicicco,
CNN Money,
8 Dec. 2025
Verb
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He's been cruising this season, leading the NTT IndyCar Series with 386 points, and looking every bit like the guy to beat (again).—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 July 2025
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Chicago and Northwest Indiana formed an industrial hub then, with plentiful factory jobs from the steel mills behind the buildings that make up the city's iconic skyline, to car factories assembling the Fords cruising along Lake Shore Drive.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
3 July 2025
Verb
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The carousel ended with a photo of Gomez kissing Blanco.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
11 Dec. 2025
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October 2025 Beer and Herbert went public when they were photographed kissing on the sidelines of SoFi Stadium before a game between the Chargers and the Washington Commanders.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
10 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Even in that short call, Paulson masterfully rides a roller coaster of emotion, from being starstruck over Crawford, bullied into skipping her big moment, to obliging her out of pity.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
9 Dec. 2025
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Instead, maritime routes skipping Venezuela entirely historically have been far more dominant in getting cocaine to Mexico, where the cartels there smuggle them into the United States via various means.—
Josh Meyer,
USA Today,
9 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Skimming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skimming. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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