What does skipped mean?
Skipped is the past tense and past participle of skip, a word that commonly expresses leaving something out or moving past it quickly. People say that a person skipped a meal, skipped class, or that an article skipped an important topic, meaning that the person or text did not attend, discuss, or include it. Skipped can also describe physical movement, as in jumping over a fence or a stone that skips across water. In computing and media contexts, it may mean advancing past a position, section, or scene. The word often carries a mildly negative implication when something expected was omitted, although this is not always negative: skipping work or an unnecessary step can be efficient. Its flexibility makes it useful for describing both deliberate avoidance and movement beyond a particular point.
Describes something that was omitted, passed over, left out, or moved past.
"The skipped passage contained the answer to the question."
When describing a person or event, it often implies avoidance of something expected.
The past tense and past participle of skip: to omit, pass over, jump over, or advance beyond something.
"The runner skipped the hurdle and crossed the finish line first."
The sense varies with context, including omission, physical movement, non-participation, and advancing to a later position.
To skip is to leave something behind without passing through it—something to do with words, meals, classes, or even stones across water.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does skipped come from?
Skipped is formed from the verb skip, which was already established in Middle English. The precise origin of skip is debated, and it has historically been connected with movements that pass or move aside. Modern forms preserve both the older sense of moving lightly over a surface and the later sense of leaving something out.
Related word forms
How skipped is actually used
The word is neutral in register but often implies that something was deliberately avoided or left out. In computing contexts, it commonly describes moving to the next item, line, or instruction.
Easily confused with skipped
Skipped means left out, passed over, or jumped over, whereas skimmed usually means read or moved over material quickly and lightly.