channel-surf

verb

To skim through a series of television stations, each for a brief moment, by repeated use of a remote control.

“I channel-surfed for half an hour before deciding there was nothing worth watching.”

Similar
channel hopzapsurf
Opposite
stay tuned
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Meanings

verbchannel-surf (third-person singular simple present channel-surfs, present participle channel-surfing, simple past and past participle channel-surfed)

present singular third person channel-surfs · participle present channel-surfing · participle past channel-surfed · past channel-surfed

  1. To skim through a series of television stations, each for a brief moment, by repeated use of a remote control.

    I channel-surfed for half an hour before deciding there was nothing worth watching.

    1 more example

    To change the channel is one thing, but he was channel-surfing so much that I didn't even enjoy watching TV with him.

    Synonyms: channel hop, zap · Antonyms: stay tuned

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo skim through a series of television stations, each for a brief moment, by repeated use of a remote control.

Similar
channel hopzap
Opposite
stay tuned

More synonyms by meaning

verbswitch channels, on television

Similar
surf
Broader
switchshiftchange
Also see
surf

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Cite this entry
APA

channel-surf. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/channel-surf

MLA

“channel-surf.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/channel-surf. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “channel-surf,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/channel-surf.

Source: channel-surf on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.