sketch

1 of 2

noun

ˈskech 

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

sketch

2 of 2

verb

sketched; sketching; sketches

transitive verb

: to make a sketch, rough draft, or outline of

intransitive verb

: to draw or paint a sketch

sketcher noun

Synonyms

Noun

• cartoon
• delineation
• drawing

Verb

• define
• delineate
• outline
• silhouette
• trace

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

Noun

Pier Paolo Righi, chief executive officer at Karl Lagerfeld, considers the sketch a true collector’s piece from the brand’s archive, and a great example of the late German designer’s sense of humor. —Miles Socha, Footwear News, 22 May 2025

By turning rough sketches into photorealistic images with accurate materials and trims, teams can visualize products earlier in the process and reduce sampling time and cost by up to 60%. —Angela Chan-Danisi, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025

Verb

While Robert Zubrin sketched out blueprints to construct a web of domes using super-strength Kevlar, Wordsworth made the remarkable discovery that hemispheres built of silica aerogel would heat up the interior by 50 degrees Kelvin, above the melting point of frozen H2O along the Martian equator. —Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025

Afterward, guests will be invited to imbibe kefir water while sketching plants and adding to their field guides. —Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Dutch schets, from Italian schizzo, literally, splash, from schizzare to splash, of imitative origin

First Known Use

Noun

1668, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1694, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing sketch

• sketch in
• sketch pad
• thumbnail sketch

Rhymes for sketch

• etch
• fetch
• fletch
• ketch
• stretch
• vetch
• wretch

Kids Definition

sketch

1 of 2 noun

ˈskech 

1

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 verb

1

: to make a sketch, rough draft, or outline of

2

: to draw or paint a sketch

sketcher noun