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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in flowing
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 brushing
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
as in bouncing
to strike and fly off at an angle
the rock just skimmed the surface of the water
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of skimming
Recently, Beyoncé debuted a bouncy, jaw-skimming blonde bob that promptly sent the internet into a tizzy.
—
Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 26 Feb. 2026
Freddie was the link to a militia group that had been skimming money from the state to buy weapons.
—Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 25 Feb. 2026
The Qinsen 2-piece Set is your answer for what to wear on long flights and cozy hotel mornings alike; its body-skimming silhouette is versatile enough to dress up or down, and to wear together or separately for a wide range of outfit options.
—Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 23 Feb. 2026
The moon will appear to advance on the Pleiades throughout the night, skimming through its rightmost stars before setting below the northwestern horizon around an hour after midnight for stargazers in New York.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for skimming
Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 26 Feb. 2026
Freddie was the link to a militia group that had been skimming money from the state to buy weapons.
—Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 25 Feb. 2026
The Qinsen 2-piece Set is your answer for what to wear on long flights and cozy hotel mornings alike; its body-skimming silhouette is versatile enough to dress up or down, and to wear together or separately for a wide range of outfit options.
—Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 23 Feb. 2026
The moon will appear to advance on the Pleiades throughout the night, skimming through its rightmost stars before setting below the northwestern horizon around an hour after midnight for stargazers in New York.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for skimming
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skimming
Verb
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The brand is helmed by Tatsuya Kowatari, who spent years sewing in the shadows of the industry before flipping the script to launch his own label.—
Jessica Binns,
Sourcing Journal,
18 Mar. 2026
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The replacements – marbles, the honeycomb candy carving game, the ddakji tile-flipping game – were chosen because any viewer anywhere could understand them within seconds.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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This time, disruptions to shipping routes are interrupting those flows and that reduces the amount of money flowing back into financial markets, removing a key source of cash flows, the bank noted.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
18 Mar. 2026
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As the drugs started flowing, King began breathing heavily, his body twitching.—
DAVID FISCHER THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And after rubbing it in and brushing it through, this product leaves virtually no residue or gritty feeling.—
Catharine Malzahn,
Glamour,
18 Mar. 2026
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Turning off the tap while brushing your teeth can save more than 4 gallons of water.—
Claire Osborn,
Austin American Statesman,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Joyce, the guardian of the 5-year-old boy, has struggled to find a steady supply of the drug since December, bouncing between two pharmacies to fill the prescription.—
Michal Ruprecht,
NPR,
16 Mar. 2026
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The two connected again, this time with Hartenstein's two-handed pass bouncing between his legs and behind him.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But the glancing references to Western Sahara’s decades-old territorial dispute, depicted here as a mere unexpected obstacle in the characters’ quest for a transformative experience, belie a deeper history that is not simply a logistical inconvenience.—
Álex Maroño Porto,
The Atlantic,
14 Mar. 2026
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The examples below ended with Mbeumo forcing a save from Manchester City’s Gianluigi Donnarumma, Sesko scoring a later winner against Fulham and Joshua Zirkzee glancing just wide during the draw with West Ham.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Guests will have two charters aboard the hotel’s 35-foot boat, L’Amo, a vintage vessel with enough room for sunbathing and two onboard Volvo engines that allow for smooth, coast-hugging cruising.—
Mark Ellwood,
Robb Report,
14 Mar. 2026
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Ajogbor had 10 points in the second half and Saint Joseph's used a 12-2 spurt to take a 61-42 lead before cruising to the finish.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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There’s head coach Reid kissing the Super Bowl trophy, quarterback Mahomes throwing a pass while horizontal in midair and Hall of Fame QB Len Dawson puffing on a cigarette in an image football fans know well.—
Lisa Gutierrez
March 20,
Kansas City Star,
20 Mar. 2026
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Sure, Jesse puts his hand over his mouth when kissing Kyle, and Jesse and West give each other more of a nuzzle, but these kids don’t care at all about the homophobia.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The untitled track comes with a serotonin-providing video of a person—perhaps the Norwegian singer/composer herself—skipping down a road carrying a baby, with a brief cameo from a similarly cheerful dog.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
13 Mar. 2026
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Russian artists are also staging a comeback at the Venice Biennale in May after skipping two previous editions.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Skimming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skimming. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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