Sketch

/ˈskɛt͡ʃ/ · verb

Meaning

(ambitransitive) To make a brief, basic drawing..

Definitions by Sense

1. (ambitransitive) To make a brief, basic drawing.
2. (transitive) To describe briefly and with very few details.
3. A rapidly executed freehand drawing that is not intended as a finished work, often consisting of a multitude of overlapping lines.
4. A rough design, plan, or draft, as a rough draft of a book.
5. A brief description of a person or account of an incident; a general presentation or outline.
6. A brief, light, or unfinished dramatic, musical, or literary work or idea; especially a short, often humorous or satirical scene or play, frequently as part of a revue or variety show.
7. (informal) An amusing person.
8. (slang, Ireland) A lookout; vigilant watch for something.

Example Sentences

I usually sketch with a pen rather than a pencil.

He sketched the accident, sticking to the facts as they had happened.

Orion hit a rabbit once; but though sore wounded it got to the bury, and, struggling in, the arrow caught the side of the hole and was drawn out.[…]. Ikey the blacksmith had forged us a spearhead after a sketch from a picture of a Greek warrior; and a rake-handle served as a shaft.

Drawings and pictures are more than mere ornaments in scientific discourse. Blackboard sketches, geological maps, diagrams of molecular structure, astronomical photographs, MRI images, the many varieties of statistical charts and graphs: These pictorial devices are indispensable tools for presenting evidence, for explaining a theory, for telling a story.

I have to write a character sketch for a novel study.

to keep sketch

A very capable journalist, he wrote the Parliamentary sketch for the Pall Mall and the Westminster Gazette for several years.

The Daily Telegraph sketch concentrated on the Bishop's attack and included rebutting remarks from Lord Longford, describing the attack as monumentally unfair because Mr. Cook could not reply.

Synonyms for sketch

Antonyms for sketch

Related Words

Word Forms

• sketches
• sketching
• sketched
• scetch
• more sketch
• most sketch

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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