Meaning & use
going skinny dipping
Last updated
“going skinny dipping” is a form of “go skinny dipping”.
Meaning
phrasefixed phraseinformal
Swimming naked, usually in a natural body of water for fun.
Grammar: The full phrase is 'go skinny dipping'; 'going skinny dipping' is the -ing form, used after 'be' or verbs like 'enjoy'.
Patterns
- go skinny dipping
- be going skinny dipping
- enjoy going skinny dipping
They went skinny dipping in the lake after the party.
We're thinking of going skinny dipping tonight if it's warm enough.
She said she'd never go skinny dipping, but she did.
Common combinations
- go skinny dipping in the sea
- They went skinny dipping in the sea at midnight.
- go skinny dipping at night
- Going skinny dipping at night can be risky.
- go skinny dipping with friends
- He went skinny dipping with friends after the festival.
Synonyms and how they differ
- skinny-dip
- The verb form; 'go skinny dipping' is the more common phrase.
Word family
- skinny-dip verb
- To swim naked.
- skinny-dipper noun
- A person who swims naked.
Commonly confused: going skinny dipping or skinny dipping?
going skinny dipping vs skinny dipping
Without 'go', it can be a noun phrase: 'Skinny dipping is not allowed here.' With 'go', it's an activity: 'They went skinny dipping.'
Practice
Which sentence correctly uses the phrase?
Choose one answer.
The fixed phrase is 'go skinny dipping' (no 'to' or 'for'). The other options break the pattern or use the wrong form.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “going skinny dipping”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.