1
as in drawing
a picture using lines to represent the chief features of an object or scene
made a quick sketch from which she would create a more detailed painting later
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2
as in portrait
a vivid representation in words of someone or something
gave her boss quick sketches of the personalities of the clients he was about to meet
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to trace
to draw or make apparent the outline of
sketched the garden pavilion on a pad of paper so the homeowners would have a rough idea of how it was going to look
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2
as in to describe
to give a representation or account of in words
briefly sketched the intent of the reorganization plan
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sketch
La Jolla Light, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Nov. 2025
Photograph, document, scent-capture — record notes, memories, bottles and recipe sketches so that scent’s past isn’t lost.
—Sudhir Gupta, Rolling Stone, 3 Nov. 2025
D.w. Pine, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
Some Saturday Night Live sketches bomb and others become Hall of Famers.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sketch
Noun
The exhibit is the first comprehensive exploration of Katz’s collaborations with choreographers, dancers and members of avant-garde theater ensembles over six decades, showcasing rare archival materials, major sets and paintings and previously unexhibited sketches.
—La Jolla Light, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Nov. 2025
Photograph, document, scent-capture — record notes, memories, bottles and recipe sketches so that scent’s past isn’t lost.
—Sudhir Gupta, Rolling Stone, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
His process involves mapping the sun’s path, calculating angles, sketching outlines, and planning how the light will travel across the surface.
—D.w. Pine, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
Some Saturday Night Live sketches bomb and others become Hall of Famers.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sketch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sketch
Noun
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Costco has 'aggressive timeline' for construction, Nelson said Stephen Cross, real estate development director for Costco, said detailed building drawings are currently being created.—
Erik S. Hanley,
jsonline.com,
5 Nov. 2025
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Walls will be dotted with paintings, drawings and etchings that reflect the history and private collection of husband-and-wife founders Gérard and Danielle Darel.—
Samantha Conti,
Footwear News,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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In this intimate portrait of life during the exhilarating early days of the women’s liberation movement in Scandinavia in the 1970s, Pernille Ipsen tells the stories of the seven women who raised her, who were all part of the women’s movement in Denmark.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
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Elizabeth was often photographed wearing them to galas and other royal occasions, and sat for a portrait with the jewels in the 1950s.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The federal holiday traces back to the end of World War I.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
11 Nov. 2025
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Much of the Shamblins’ lawsuit — echoing past claims of wrongdoing by families of users who were allegedly mistreated or supported in their bad acts by ChatGPT and other AI — traces his descent into despondency.—
Adam Carlson,
PEOPLE,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The only real attempt in this episode to describe the difficulty of Maia’s position as Tallulah’s manager comes from Maia’s chirpy co-worker (Lauren Holt, a treat every time).—
Caroline Framke,
Vulture,
10 Nov. 2025
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During the week, Aluko had described lying in bed at the height of the controversy, depressed and unable to eat.—
Greg O'Keeffe,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Over time, from edition to edition, the aesthetic of its illustrations changed.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Paramount Global and Skydance logos are seen in this illustration taken December 17, 2024.—
Lillian Rizzo,
CNBC,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
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All venues are equipped with accessibility measures including audio descriptions, sign language interpretation and multilingual dubbing.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
8 Nov. 2025
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Ma’s description of enormous, glistening grocery stores could be explained as the musings of a person who longs for stability and plentitude, or of a naive character who thinks of America as a land of boundless riches.—
Tope Folarin,
The Atlantic,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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But so far, only about a dozen Article 6 trades — named after the section of the Paris Agreement outlining the plan a decade ago — have been executed.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
11 Nov. 2025
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Now, Berkley has written a new book - Fair Doses - that tells the inside story of the effort and outlines a vision for how the globe might do better next time.—
NPR,
NPR,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
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At first glance, Grace resembles the type of mothers who have become a dominant cinematic presence in recent years—women portrayed as troubled about being a caregiver.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 2025
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There’s no way to trick him into portraying the right levels of fear and anxiety and sadness.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sketch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sketch. Accessed 20 Nov. 2025.
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