What does skimmingly mean?
Skimmingly is an adverb meaning in a manner that skims: quickly, lightly, and without examining the subject in depth. It is especially associated with reading, reviewing, or scanning material in a hurried way, although it can describe any activity performed superficially. For example, someone may read a report skimmingly by looking at headings, summaries, or isolated passages rather than every detail. The word carries a mild evaluative implication: the action is efficient or selective, but it may also leave important material unnoticed. Compared with simply saying that someone read quickly, skimmingly more explicitly suggests incomplete attention. It is not usually used to describe careful study, and its relative rarity means that plain alternatives such as quickly, briefly, or superficially may often sound more natural in everyday speech.
adverbIn a manner that involves skimming, especially reading or examining something quickly and only in part.
- In a skimming manner, especially by reading or examining something quickly and only in part.
"She skimmingly scanned the headings before deciding whether the article was worth reading in full."
"He skimmingly reviewed the report, focusing on the figures in the final section."
"The guide gives visitors a skimmingly broad introduction to the history of the building."
Skimmingly names the hurried act of taking in only the surface of a text before deciding what deserves attention.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does skimmingly come from?
Skimmingly was formed from skim by adding the suffix -ing, which turns the verb into a present participle, and then -ly, which forms an adverb. Skim itself has circulated in English since the early modern period and is associated with removing floating matter from a liquid, later extending to reading or examining material quickly and partially. The adverb is a later and much less common formation derived from that established verbal meaning.
How skimmingly is actually used
This adverb is relatively uncommon and somewhat literary or descriptive. It conveys both speed and superficiality, often suggesting that the subject has been only partly examined.