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Synonyms

skit

American  
[skit] / skɪt /

noun

  1. a short literary piece of a humorous or satirical character.

  2. a short theatrical sketch or act, usually comical.

  3. a gibe or taunt.

  4. British Dialect. a joke or prank.


skit British  
/ skɪt /

noun

  1. a brief satirical theatrical sketch

  2. a short satirical piece of writing

  3. a trick or hoax

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of skit

First recorded in 1565–75; of obscure origin

Explanation

A skit is a funny or informative short play. It's usually more fun to perform a skit about an alien invasion than a skit about workplace safety. You might watch a skit about bullying at school, and the local theater troupe may perform skits in the park for kids. In stand-up or improvisational comedy, skits are more commonly called "sketches." Skit comes from the now-obsolete Scottish skit, "a vain, frivolous, or wanton girl," which became "a satirical remark" in English, and then "a piece of light satire."

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Vocabulary lists containing skit

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.

Mills was last seen on TV in March on a Traitors skit during Comic Relief.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

If only the hearing were a comedy skit.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 13, 2026

Consider a skit from the “Key & Peele” show that imagined a situation in which passengers with all sorts of odd statuses gained early boarding privileges.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 21, 2026

On “Saturday Night Live” in 2006 it was the payoff to a scandalous skit starring Andy Samberg and Justin Timberlake.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 16, 2025

Like the guy in the old vaudeville skit, the guy in the folding cot that won’t stay folded, Jerome flipped straight up, wide awake.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides