Meaning & use
skidded
Last updated
“skidded” is a form of “skid”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbintransitive
Slid sideways or forward out of control on a slippery surface; the past tense and past participle of skid.
Grammar: No object: the car skidded on the ice.
Patterns
- skidded on something
- skidded into something
- skidded off something
The truck skidded on the icy road and stopped against a fence.
She skidded on the wet floor and nearly fell.
The bike skidded around the corner and hit a bin.
verbtransitiverare
Slid something, such as a vehicle, in an uncontrolled way.
Grammar: Takes an object, rarely: he skidded the car to a stop.
Patterns
- skidded something across something
The driver skidded the van around the bend.
He skidded the chair across the floor.
She skidded the sled down the hill on purpose.
Word forms
| base form | skid |
|---|---|
| third person singular | skids |
| -ing form | skidding |
Common combinations
- skidded on ice
- The bus skidded on ice and slid sideways.
- skidded to a halt
- The car skidded to a halt inches from the wall.
- skidded off the road
- A van skidded off the road in the rain.
- skidded across the floor
- His shoes skidded across the polished floor.
- skidded into a ditch
- The cyclist skidded into a ditch.
Synonyms and how they differ
- slid
- Slid is a general word for smooth movement and may be intended, while skidded suggests losing control.
- slipped
- Slipped often describes someone losing footing, whereas skidded is usually for wheels or objects that slide sideways.
- slithered
- Slithered gives a picture of a snake-like, uneven slide, and is less about vehicles.
- swerved
- Swerved means turning sharply on purpose to avoid something, while skidded means losing grip involuntarily.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: skidded or skied?
skidded vs skied
Skied is the past tense of ski, meaning to travel on skis, while skidded is losing grip.
Practice
The car ____ on the wet road and spun around.
Choose one answer.
Skidded is the past tense of skid, with the final d doubled. Skid is the base form, so it does not fit a past-tense sentence.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “skidded”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.