skimp

American  

[skimp] / skɪmp /

verb (used without object)

skimps, present (3rd person singular) skimped, past participle, past skimping present participle

1. to scrimp.

   Synonyms:

   pinch, stint

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verb (used with object)

skimps, present (3rd person singular) skimped, past participle, past skimping present participle

1. to scrimp.

   Synonyms:

   pinch, stint

2. to scamp.

adjective

1. skimpy; scanty.

skimp British  

/ skɪmp /

verb

1. to be extremely sparing or supply (someone) sparingly; stint

2. to perform (work, etc) carelessly, hastily, or with inadequate materials

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Usage

What does skimp mean? Skimp most commonly means to provide too little or be stingy when supplying someone with something, as in This place always skimps on the salad dressing, so I usually order some extra on the side. The word is often used in the command don’t skimp, which is a request not to provide an amount that the speaker considers inadequate, as in Hey, don’t skimp on the ice cream—I want a big scoop!To skimp on materials when making or constructing something is to use ones that are low-quality or to use fewer than are needed to do the job properly. Skimp is a synonym of scrimp, but scrimp most commonly means to be frugal by finding ways to avoid spending money. It’s especially used in the phrase scrimp and save, as in We had to scrimp and save just to afford this trip. The adjective skimpy can mean stingy or lacking in some way. It’s especially used to describe an outfit that’s considered a bit revealing due to not covering as much as might be usual. Example: Don’t skimp on the butter when you make the cookies or they’ll turn out dry and brittle.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• skimpingly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• skimping
  present
• skimped
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• skimp
  simple
• skimps
  simple
• have skimped
  perfect
• has skimped
  perfect
• am skimping
  progressive
• are skimping
  progressive
• is skimping
  progressive
• have been skimping
  perfect progressive
• has been skimping
  perfect progressive

Past

• skimped
  simple
• had skimped
  perfect
• was skimping
  progressive
• were skimping
  progressive
• had been skimping
  perfect progressive

Future

• will skimp
  simple
• will have skimped
  perfect
• will be skimping
  progressive
• will have been skimping
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of skimp

First recorded in 1875–80; origin uncertain

Explanation

The verb skimp refers to using a limited amount of something. When tomato prices are high, a cost-conscious restaurant might skimp on the amount of chopped tomatoes it puts on salads. Skimp can also describe getting by spending very little money, like someone who skimps in order to save for the future. You can also skimp on time and effort, like when you skimp on the amount of care you put into your math homework. Skimp is likely a variation of scrimp, which means "to make too small" and comes from the Swedish word skrumpna, meaning "to shrink, shrivel up."

Example Sentences

“We tend not to see farmers skimp on seeds,” Andrews says.

From Barron's • May 1, 2026

It’s what I like to call a maximalist egg — an egg, whether omelet, scrambled, or even hard-boiled, that doesn’t skimp on anything.

From Salon • Mar. 21, 2026

Like many advisers, Mallon urges his older clients to prioritize their own needs — and live large — rather than skimp and save so that their heirs inherit more.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 13, 2026

If a company wants to attract and retain the talent it needs to thrive, it can’t skimp on compensation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 7, 2025

The sixth graders are determined to make more links than everybody else, so they skimp on the glue and their chain comes apart.

From "Linked" by Gordon Korman

Related Words

• scrimp