Word page
To shimmy means to shake or wiggle, especially the shoulders or body; also a shaking dance or movement. It belongs to ridiculous verbs and works best in comic action, lively dialogue, and verbs that do more than plain “move” or “say”. It still feels usable today, especially when you want a word with more character than the plainest alternative.
Shimmy means to shake or wiggle, especially the shoulders or body; also a shaking dance or movement. It is usually pronounced SHIM-ee, and today it is still readable to modern audiences, even if it sounds more deliberate than everyday speech.
If you shimmy, you to shake or wiggle, especially the shoulders or body; also a shaking dance or movement. The verb usually suggests something more expressive, comic, or textured than a plain everyday substitute.
Shimmy feels absurd because it has more texture than the plain alternative, giving the idea an extra bit of theatrical, comic, or overbuilt energy.
The origin note most often attached to shimmy is: probably from dance slang of the early 20th century. Where the history is not fully settled, the safest thing to say is that the word’s sound and tone have helped keep it memorable.
Shimmy is still usable today, especially when you want language that feels more distinctive than the plainest modern alternative.
Use shimmy when a plain action verb feels too flat and you want the sentence to carry more motion, tone, or comic texture. It works especially well in comic action, lively dialogue, and verbs that do more than plain “move” or “say”.
Wiggle, Sway, Wriggle, Shake
Stand still, Freeze, Stiffen, Halt
Edited by Absurd Words. Last updated: May 9, 2026. See the editorial policy for how definitions, examples, labels, and update checks are handled on the site.
