Illustration of skate
plural skates also skate
: any of a family (Rajidae) of rays with the pectoral fins greatly developed giving the fish a flat diamond shape
1
a
: a metal frame that can be fitted to the sole of a shoe and to which is attached a runner or a set of wheels for gliding over ice or a surface other than ice
b
: roller skate
especially
: in-line skate
c
2
: a period of skating
skated; skating
1
: to glide along on skates propelled by the alternate action of the legs
2
: to slip or glide as if on skates
3
: to proceed in a superficial or blithe manner
: to go along or through by skating
1
: a thin awkward-looking or decrepit horse : nag
2
Examples of skate in a Sentence
Verb
hockey players skating into position
Couples skated around the rink.
She skated an excellent program in the competition.
We skate at the park.
The bugs skated along the surface of the water.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 1 May 2026
An older brother laced up skates for Northwood University.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 May 2026
Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 1 May 2026
Texier took a long pass from Lane Hutson, skated into the left circle and ripped a shot that bounced off Andrei Vasilevskiy’s glove and into the net for a 3-2 lead early in the third.
—ABC News, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for skate
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Noun
The puck hit the skate of Dallas defender Ilya Lyubushkin and deflected into the net.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 1 May 2026
An older brother laced up skates for Northwood University.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 May 2026
Verb
Viktor Arvidsson, who was knocked woozy and out of the lineup on a high hit from the Sabres’ Mattias Samuelsson in Game 4, was skating under the watchful eye of skating and skills coach John McLean at Warrior Ice Arena on Friday morning.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 1 May 2026
Texier took a long pass from Lane Hutson, skated into the left circle and ripped a shot that bounced off Andrei Vasilevskiy’s glove and into the net for a 3-2 lead early in the third.
—ABC News, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for skate
Cite this Entry
“Skate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/skate. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
skate
1 of 3 noun
: any of numerous rays that have broad winglike fins
skate
2 of 3 noun1
: a metallic runner fitting the sole of a shoe or a shoe with a permanently attached runner used for gliding on ice
2
skate
3 of 3 verb
skated; skating
1
: to glide along on skates
2
: to slide or move as if on skates
skater
noun
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