skim

American  

[skim] / skɪm /

verb (used with object)

• skims,
  present (3rd person singular)
• skimmed,
  past participle,  past
• skimming
  present participle

1. to take up or remove (floating matter) from the surface of a liquid, as with a spoon or ladle.

   to skim the cream from milk.

2. to clear (liquid) thus.

   to skim milk.

3. to move or glide lightly over or along (a surface, as of water).

   The sailboat skimmed the lake.

4. to throw in a smooth, gliding path over or near a surface, or so as to bounce or ricochet along a surface.

   to skim a stone across the lake.

5. to read, study, consider, treat, etc., in a superficial or cursory manner.

   Synonyms:

   scan

6. to cover, as a liquid, with a thin film or layer.

   Ice skimmed the lake at night.

7. to take the best or most available parts or items from.

   Bargain hunters skimmed the flea markets early in the morning.

8. to take (the best or most available parts or items) from something.

   The real bargains had been skimmed by early shoppers.

9. Metallurgy. to remove (slag, scum, or dross) from the surface of molten metal.

10. Slang. to conceal a portion of (winnings, earnings, etc.) in order to avoid paying income taxes, commissions, or the like on the actual total revenue (sometimes followed byoff ).

    The casino skimmed two million a year.

11. to appropriate (credit or debit card information) electronically for illegal use.

    A hidden device can skim your account number while you’re pumping gas, paying for groceries, etc.

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verb (used without object)

• skims,
  present (3rd person singular)
• skimmed,
  past participle,  past
• skimming
  present participle

1. to pass or glide lightly over or near a surface.

2. to read, study, consider, etc., something in a superficial or cursory way.

   Synonyms:

   glance

3. to become covered with a thin film or layer.

4. Slang. to conceal gambling or other profits so as to avoid paying taxes, etc.; practice skimming.

noun

1. an act or instance of skimming.

2. something that is skimmed off.

3. a thin layer or film formed on the surface of something, especially a liquid, as the coagulated protein material formed on boiled milk.

4. a thin layer, as of mortar.

5. Slang. the amount taken or concealed by skimming.

6. skim milk.

7. Obsolete. scum.

skim British  

/ skɪm /

verb

1. (tr) to remove floating material from the surface of (a liquid), as with a spoon

   to skim milk

2. to glide smoothly or lightly over (a surface)

3. (tr) to throw (something) in a path over a surface, so as to bounce or ricochet

   to skim stones over water

4. to read (a book) in a superficial or cursory manner

5. to cover (a liquid) with a thin layer or (of liquid) to become coated in this way, as with ice, scum, etc

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noun

1. the act or process of skimming

2. material skimmed off a liquid, esp off milk

3. the liquid left after skimming

4. any thin layer covering a surface

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unskimmed
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• skimming
  present
• skimmed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• skim
  simple
• skims
  simple
• have skimmed
  perfect
• has skimmed
  perfect
• am skimming
  progressive
• are skimming
  progressive
• is skimming
  progressive
• have been skimming
  perfect progressive
• has been skimming
  perfect progressive

Past

• skimmed
  simple
• had skimmed
  perfect
• was skimming
  progressive
• were skimming
  progressive
• had been skimming
  perfect progressive

Future

• will skim
  simple
• will have skimmed
  perfect
• will be skimming
  progressive
• will have been skimming
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of skim

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English skymen, skemen, variant of scumen “to skim,” perhaps from Old French escumer “to remove scum”; see scum

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Explanation

To skim is to remove something from the surface of a liquid. Some cooks skim the fat off of the top of their chicken noodle soup, others skim the cream off milk to make skim (or skimmed) milk. Cream is what you skim off the surface of milk, and if you don't like the whipped version, you might skim it from your hot chocolate. Another way to use the word skim is to mean "read quickly," like when you skim the newspaper, catching just the headlines as you search for the comics section. Skim has an Old French root, escumer, "remove scum," from escume, "scum." The "glance through a book" meaning came later, in the late 1700’s.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

skim skims skimmed skimming

To skim costs in that shift, the company used cheap, faulty battery packs that, it turns out, were the real culprit for the drone failure.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

One study found that people who consumed at least one serving of skim or low-fat milk each day had a 19% increased risk of prostate cancer compared with those who rarely drank it.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 13, 2026

Rio prosecutors charged Flávio in 2020 with running a scheme to skim the salaries of legislative aides, a case later closed after key evidence was thrown out.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026

If you’re trying to lose weight or lower your cholesterol, skim milk is better than full-fat.

From Slate ● Jan. 28, 2026

And the skim of shame that he had rinsed away in the bathwater after having stolen from Pilate returned.

From "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison

Think of it as a highly subjective road-trip mixtape that skims through history, one that pauses to consider something remarkable unfolding in a pocket of the country at a particular time and place.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 2026

Each competitor is allowed three skims and stones must bounce at least twice on water before sinking.

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2025

Biskind is just about incapable of being boring, and “Pandora’s Box” skims along with snarky vigor.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2023

The plane skims across the water and can load up to 800 gallons in about 15 seconds, Cuthbert said.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 26, 2023

Theo skims along life, all surface, no depth, simple and uncomplicated.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

Lately, though, so many good business and financial books have been coming out that I’ve been reading a bunch of them, and I’ve at least skimmed everything in my growing pile.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm hammered a four-seam fastball that skimmed the top of the strike zone over the center-field wall in the first inning.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 31, 2026

Where this story takes place — which metaphysical realm it’s actually set in — is skimmed over entirely.

From Salon ● Mar. 8, 2026

Based between an ancient burial mound and a rusting tin hut, the men stood on top of a nuclear fallout bunker, while aircraft skimmed them at terrifyingly low altitudes.

From BBC ● Mar. 23, 2025

I stirred the milk, and beige pellets floated up from the bottom, like sand encased in a shimmery oil that skimmed the top and bubbled around the whirlpool I made with my spoon.

From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago

Rentner led visitors around by boat then, skimming over the inundated land.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2026

Eligible skimming stones must be able to pass through the "Ring of Truth"

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026

Ellis, a sweet guy not averse to skimming a little off the top when dealing with moneyed customers — it’s a summer getaway for the rich — takes an immediate shine to Annie.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

Michael Jackson showed off his signature move, the moonwalk, on television in 1983, skimming backwards across the stage to his No. 1 hit “Billie Jean.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 3, 2026

Pax sped by again, scarcely skimming the ground, but it wasn’t celebration enough.

From "Pax" by Sara Pennypacker

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Related Words

• browse
• flip through
• glance
• leaf through
• scan
• skip
• thumb through

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