skim

1
as in to flip
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
4
as in to bounce
to strike and fly off at an angle the rock just skimmed the surface of the water

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

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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 Add to that, an impeccable manicure skimming the table for a soft touch. Wwd Staff, WWD, 27 Jan. 2025 Whisk in the cream and juices; skim the foam off the top. Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 27 Jan. 2025 Ensure longer content is easy to skim with clear navigation, highlighted key points and scannable formatting so busy audiences can quickly grasp top insights and dive deeper if interested. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025 The aircraft, capable of skimming 1,600 gallons of water from the ocean and dropping it over fires, has become a critical resource in combating the flames. John Mac Ghlionn, Newsweek, 13 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for skim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skim
Verb
  • But since May 2023, that dynamic has flipped, giving consumers more buying power.
    Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 25 Feb. 2025
  • Now that Grapefruit League games have begun, here are some tidbits from the first two weeks in Red Sox camp: Alex Bregman’s position and the trickle-down effect Since arriving a week ago, Bregman has taken infield work at both second and third, flipping almost every other day at each position.
    Jen McCaffrey, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Corporate news While investors wait for broad economic signs, company news continued to flow.
    Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 19 Feb. 2025
  • Videos and photos of the bright orange lava flowing down the mountainside went viral after a group of hikers posted them on social media.
    Billy Stockwell, CNN, 18 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Earlier this month, Murray Auchincloss, BP’s current chief executive, brushed off an analyst’s question about reverting to a more normal approach to the Russian holding, noting that Rosneft remained under sanctions by more than a dozen countries.
    Stanley Reed, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2025
  • While many dismiss this sort of movie fare, and many others brushed off a later-career showing from the Wayans, those who respect the parody’s never-taking-itself-too-seriously nature will find that Marlon Wayans still knew how to make a hilarious spoof into the 2010s and beyond.
    Travis Bean, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The Chess studio walls had to be built at odd angles — otherwise her voice would bounce from one to another, ceaselessly spinning a sound meter’s needle.
    Ron Grossman, Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2025
  • The courts rule The case has been bouncing through the court system for several years and recently landed at the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, one stop below the Supreme Court.
    Nate Anderson, Ars Technica, 14 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Gutfeld has shown up in sneakers, a white T-shirt peeking out from a pullover sweater.
    Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 19 Feb. 2025
  • Truong makes a strong case for it and goes minimal with thin French tips and daisies peeking out on the corners of each nail for singer Ella Mai.
    Audrey Noble, Vogue, 18 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Specs: One red light (630 nm) wavelength Best For: Brightening, diminishing dark spots, smoothing fine lines How to Use: Moving in an upward direction, glide the tool across hydrated skin on the jaw, cheeks, neck, forehead, under-eye area, and upper lip.
    Jenny Berg, Vogue, 22 Feb. 2025
  • And then there are flying squirrels, which don't actually fly, but use the flaps of skin between their legs to glide through the air.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 19 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Busch and his team would love to pose for more pictures kissing the bricks at IMS following Sunday’s race.
    Clifton Brown, Indianapolis Star, 17 July 2017
  • The trainer turns and kisses one of the man-eaters on the nose.
    Holly Millea, Smithsonian, 29 June 2017
Verb
  • The Trail Blazers were going to trade Ayton at the trade deadline, opening up the yellow brick road for Clingan to skip his way to fantasy wizardry merrily, yeah?
    Stan Son, The Athletic, 17 Feb. 2025
  • With a forecast of single-digit temperatures and wind chills into the negatives, along with three to five inches of snow (or more), some speculated whether Messi would even try to suit up for Miami or skip the match entirely.
    Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 17 Feb. 2025

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“Skim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skim. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.

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