skimmed through

USAGE SUMMARY

"skimmed through" is correct and can be used in written English.
It means to read or look through something quickly and without focusing too much on details. For example: "I quickly skimmed through the book before returning it to the library."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

I skimmed through it.

The New Yorker

I skimmed through my photo archive, reminiscing.

The New York Times - Magazine

We skimmed through the book & read the pamphlet.

The New Yorker

Hurriedly, I skimmed through the booklet, laughing silently, confirming what I suddenly knew.

The Washington Post

Mr. Hutchings skimmed through the neighborhood's hodgepodge of upper-middle-class wealth and suburban decay.

The New York Times

I just skimmed through the updates because I'm a little busy and using a tiny screen.

The Guardian

She skimmed through them to pick out the best ones to tackle on air.

The New York Times

We got to the theater in time for the curtain and I skimmed through the playbill.

The New York Times

"We handed the President the key judgments to read, which he skimmed through," McConnell said.

The New Yorker

"How can they not?" Recently, Ms. Geiger skimmed through a competitor's evaluation with the school's name removed.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

Just skim through it for your performance bottlenecks.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use “skimmed through” when you want to emphasize the speed and lack of detailed attention in reviewing something. For instance, "I skimmed through the report to get the main points."

Common error

Avoid using “skimmed through” when you actually performed a thorough review. Using similar verbs like “studied” or “analyzed” is more appropriate in those situations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "skimmed through" functions as a phrasal verb indicating the action of reading or reviewing something quickly and superficially. It's commonly used to convey a lack of detailed attention, as confirmed by Ludwig's analysis and the provided examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

69%

Science

17%

Academia

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Wiki

4%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrasal verb "skimmed through" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to describe a quick and superficial review of something. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is acceptable for use in written English. It appears most commonly in news and media sources, reflecting its broad applicability. While alternatives like "glanced over" or "scanned rapidly" exist, they each carry slightly different nuances. When using "skimmed through", remember to ensure that it accurately reflects the level of detail involved in the review process and is not mistakenly used when a more thorough analysis was conducted.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

glanced over

Focuses on a quick visual inspection rather than a more thorough reading.

scanned rapidly

Emphasizes the speed of the review process.

browsed quickly

Suggests a casual and fast look.

ran through

Implies a fast but possibly more complete review.

flipped through

Highlights the action of quickly turning pages.

checked briefly

Indicates a short verification.

read cursorily

A more formal way of saying a superficial reading.

passed over

Suggests a quick, and possibly incomplete, review.

looked through quickly

A more descriptive and less concise alternative.

perused briefly

Indicates a light and quick examination.

FAQs

How to use "skimmed through" in a sentence?

You can use "skimmed through" to describe quickly reviewing something, like "I "skimmed through" the document before the meeting".

What can I say instead of "skimmed through"?

You can use alternatives like "glanced over", "scanned rapidly", or "browsed quickly" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "skimmed through" or "skimmed over"?

Both ""skimmed through"" and "skimmed over" are correct, but ""skimmed through"" often implies moving through pages or sections, while "skimmed over" indicates a less thorough look at something in general.

What's the difference between "skimmed through" and "read carefully"?

"Skimmed through" implies a quick, superficial review, whereas "read carefully" means a detailed and thorough examination of the text.