shimmy
noun
an American ragtime dance marked by shaking of the hips and shoulders.
shimmying
-
present participleof shimmy.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Passengers were shimmying in practically every nook and cranny in the auditorium.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 3, 2026
Around her, dancers of all ages shook their hips to Arabic music, shimmying barefoot as a woman with a neck tattoo played the derbake, a traditional drum.
From Barron's ● Nov. 10, 2025
From scaling rock faces and carving down snowy slopes to hoisting weights and shimmying in dance studios, here are some of of their responses.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 19, 2024
They scored their first major hit with Mas Que Nada, a sun-kissed cover of a Jorge Ben original, full of finger clicks, shimmying shakers and an ebullient chorus that sings of the urge to dance.
From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2024
“Just loosen up,” Señora Ramirez advised, shimmying and waving her arms around like she was blowing in the wind.
From "The First Rule of Punk" by Celia C. Pérez
