plural shimmies
1
[by alteration]
: chemise
2
[short for shimmy-shake]
: a jazz dance characterized by a shaking of the body from the shoulders down
3
: an abnormal vibration especially in the front wheels of a motor vehicle
shimmied; shimmying
1
: to shake, quiver, or tremble in or as if in dancing a shimmy
2
: to vibrate abnormally
—used especially of automobiles
3
: shinny
Examples of shimmy in a Sentence
Verb
They were shimmying on the dance floor.
I shimmied into my jacket.
One of the car's wheels was shimmying.
Recent Examples on the Web
Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2025
In the example below, Kane shimmies towards Jude Bellingham on the ball (white arrow) despite a gap opening up between Virgil van Dijk and Nathan Ake (black arrow/area).
—The Athletic Uk Staff, The Athletic, 12 July 2024
Jon Schuppe, NBC news, 24 May 2025
Other hunters, shimmying up a stand of trees, dismantle nests that birds have built with the coveted cinnamon twig.
—Walker Mimms, New York Times, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for shimmy
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
The taunts followed a Game 1 in which Beasley repeatedly initiated contact with Jalen Brunson, even during stoppages, and punctuated 3-pointers with a celebratory shimmy.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2025
In the example below, Kane shimmies towards Jude Bellingham on the ball (white arrow) despite a gap opening up between Virgil van Dijk and Nathan Ake (black arrow/area).
—The Athletic Uk Staff, The Athletic, 12 July 2024
Verb
The men, ranging in age from 19 to 42, some wearing orange jail uniforms and others in long, white pants and T-shirts, each shimmied through the hole, some pausing to leave taunting messages on the wall.
—Jon Schuppe, NBC news, 24 May 2025
Other hunters, shimmying up a stand of trees, dismantle nests that birds have built with the coveted cinnamon twig.
—Walker Mimms, New York Times, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for shimmy
Cite this Entry
“Shimmy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shimmy. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share