Meaning & use
to skip
Last updated
Meanings
verbtransitive
To leave out something you would normally do, have, or include.
Grammar: Takes an object: skip breakfast, skip a class, skip a step.
Patterns
- skip something
- skip doing something
I was late, so I skipped breakfast.
She skipped the last question because it was too hard.
He skips class whenever there is a test.
verbintransitive
To move along with quick light jumps, using both feet in turn.
Grammar: No object; often followed by along, across or over: skip along the path.
Patterns
- skip along something
- skip across something
- skip over something
The children skipped along the path, laughing.
A small bird skipped across the grass.
She skipped over the puddles on her way home.
verbtransitive or intransitive
To jump over a rope that you turn over your head and under your feet, as exercise or a game.
Grammar: Can take an object (skip rope) or stand alone (they were skipping in the yard).
Patterns
- skip rope
- skip for an hour
The girls were skipping in the playground.
He skips rope for ten minutes every morning.
We used to skip for hours after school.
verbintransitive
To move quickly from one thing or place to another without stopping long.
Grammar: No object; often followed by from, to or through: skip from topic to topic.
Patterns
- skip from something to something
- skip through something
Her talk skipped from one subject to another.
I skipped through the report and read only the headings.
He skipped from job to job for years.
verbtransitive
To throw a flat stone so that it bounces several times on the surface of water.
Grammar: Takes an object: skip a stone across the lake.
Patterns
- skip a stone across something
- skip stones on something
We skipped stones across the lake all afternoon.
He can skip a stone five times before it sinks.
The boys were skipping stones on the river.
Word forms
| third person singular | skips |
|---|---|
| past tense | skipped |
| past participle | skipped |
| -ing form | skipping |
Common combinations
- skip breakfast
- Don't skip breakfast if you have a long morning ahead.
- skip class
- He skipped class twice last week.
- skip a step
- Follow the recipe and don't skip a step.
- skip rope
- She skips rope to stay fit.
- skip a beat
- My heart skipped a beat when I saw the bill.
- skip town
- He skipped town before the police arrived.
Synonyms and how they differ
- omit
- More formal and used mostly about written or spoken things you leave out on purpose; skip is the everyday word for missing something you would normally do.
- miss
- Often suggests you did not manage to attend or catch something by accident or bad luck, while skip usually suggests a choice.
- leave out
- A phrasal verb that fits well when you drop one item from a list or group; skip works more widely, including activities and meals.
- jump
- A general word for pushing off the ground; skip is lighter and repeated, with both feet taking turns.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: to skip or skim? to skip or slip?
to skip vs skim
Skim means to read quickly or remove fat from milk; it sounds close to skip but has nothing to do with leaving something out.
to skip vs slip
Slip means to slide or lose your balance, or to make a small mistake; skip is about leaving something out or jumping lightly.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'skip' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Skip' takes a direct object when it means leaving something out, so 'skipped the meeting' is correct. 'Skipped to/on/at the meeting' would suggest light jumping toward or near the meeting, not missing it.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “to skip”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.