1
a
: a rough drawing representing the chief features of an object or scene and often made as a preliminary study
b
: a tentative draft (as for a literary work)
2
: a brief description (as of a person) or outline
3
a
: a short literary composition somewhat resembling the short story and the essay but intentionally slight in treatment, discursive in style, and familiar in tone
b
: a short instrumental composition usually for piano
c
: a slight theatrical piece having a single scene
especially
: a comic variety act
sketched; sketching; sketches
: to make a sketch, rough draft, or outline of
: to draw or paint a sketch
sketcher
noun
Examples of sketch in a Sentence
Noun
He made a sketch of his house.
He wrote up a sketch of the plot.
There is a biographical sketch of the author on the book's back cover.
Verb
He sketched the trees outside his window.
He likes to sit outside and sketch.
She sketched the plan for us.
Recent Examples on the Web
Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
The book also features 250 color illustrations of sketches, paintings, handwritten budgets and WhatsApp screenshots that trace Dillane’s evolution from selling T-shirts out of his dorm room at New York University to a stint creating a menswear collection for Louis Vuitton.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2025
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2025
New Metric’s previously announced The Eh-List stand-up specials are currently in production and will also feature on shozerTV, as will sketch show Picnicface from Shadowpine Studios.
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sketch
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Noun
Mason is also a talented artist, frequently sharing his sketches and portraits on Instagram.
—Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
The book also features 250 color illustrations of sketches, paintings, handwritten budgets and WhatsApp screenshots that trace Dillane’s evolution from selling T-shirts out of his dorm room at New York University to a stint creating a menswear collection for Louis Vuitton.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
The goal is clearly to emulate a series like Slow Horses or The Americans, yet all that attention paid to what the Talamasca does wrong only amplifies how the show fails to sketch a genuine identity for the group.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2025
New Metric’s previously announced The Eh-List stand-up specials are currently in production and will also feature on shozerTV, as will sketch show Picnicface from Shadowpine Studios.
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sketch
Cite this Entry
“Sketch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sketch. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sketch
1 of 2 noun1
a
: a rough drawing representing the chief features of an object or scene
b
: a rough draft (as of a story)
2
: a brief description or outline
3
: a short comedy piece
sketch
2 of 2 verb1
: to make a sketch, rough draft, or outline of
2
: to draw or paint a sketch
sketcher
noun
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