Peruse-Skim | Commonly Confused Words

Peruse

/pəˈruːz/

To read or examine something carefully and thoroughly

She sat on the porch to peruse the morning paper.I often peruse the menu before ordering a dish.Peruse the document thoroughly before signing it.

/skɪm/

To read something quickly to get the main ideas without going into details.

The chef skimmed the broth to remove excess fat.She skimmed through the novel in just a few hours.He skimmed the cream from the top of the milk.

Skim sounds like you're just touching the surface lightly, much like skimming through water.
Peruse sounds more like taking your time with something, more thorough and deliberate.
When you skim through a document, you are likely focusing on headings, bolded text, and summaries.
To peruse is to read every word with attention and care, aiming to understand the content fully.
Skimming is often a quick process, while perusing takes considerably more time.