Skim and Scan

Skim

Skim verb - To turn over pages in an idle or cursory manner.
Usage example: I'll just skim through a few styling magazines and see if something interesting catches my eye

Scan is a synonym for skim in activity topic. In some cases you can use "Scan" instead the word "Skim" as a verb or a noun, when it comes to topics like scrutinize, investigate, glance over, glance through. popular alternative

Scan

Scan verb - Examine hastily.
Usage example: She scanned the newspaper headlines while waiting for the taxi

Skim is a synonym for scan in glance over topic. You can use "Skim" instead the word "Scan" as a verb or a noun, if it concerns topics such as activity, look, glance, scrutinize. popular alternative

Nearby Words: scanned, scanning, scanner

Common collocations

pages skim pages scan pages
Cite this Source
Scan and Skim. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 18, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/skim/scan
Skim & Scan. N.p., 2016. Web. 18 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/skim/scan>.
Scan or Skim. 2016. Accessed August 18, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/skim/scan.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "skim" and "scan" have occurred on timeline