What does shimmying mean?
“Shimmying” is the present participle of “shimmy,” a verb meaning to move rapidly up and down or from side to side. The movement is commonly associated with dance, where it is a characteristic shoulder-and-body motion, but the word is also used for shifting or squeezing through a confined space. In everyday descriptions, shimmying often carries a playful or slightly comic tone: someone may shimmy around, shimmy out of a tight spot, or shimmy an object into place. The related noun “shimmy” names the movement itself and can also refer to a dance characterized by this motion. Although the verb is broadly understood in British and American English, it is more informal than “move,” “wiggle,” or “jiggle,” and it tends to emphasize repeated, quick, slightly awkward movement rather than a single adjustment.
verbTo move the shoulders rapidly up and down or from side to side, often as a dance movement or to adjust one’s position. It can also mean to move or fit into a space with a series of quick, shuffling movements.
- To move the shoulders rapidly up and down or from side to side.
- To move or fit into a space with quick, shuffling movements.
"She shimmied through the narrow gap between the chairs."
"The dancer shimmied energetically across the stage."
"He shimmied sideways through the half-open door."
A shimmy is the word’s gift to dancers: it names both the movement and the quick, sideways wiggle used to squeeze into tight spaces.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does shimmying come from?
The word “shimmy” is an American English term that became established in the early 20th century, especially in descriptions of dances and popular entertainment. Its precise origin is uncertain, and later theories connecting it with other European words are not reliably established. The present-participle form “shimmying” follows the standard spelling rule for verbs ending in a consonant plus “y,” changing the final “y” to “i” before “-ing.”
Related word forms
How shimmying is actually used
The verb is informal and often suggests playful, comic, or hurried movement. In the sense of moving through a narrow space, it can describe a person or an object being maneuvered into position.
Easily confused with shimmying
“Shimmying” means making repeated small movements, while “shimmer” means to shine with a flickering or wavering light.