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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
K.j. Yossman, Variety, 29 Mar. 2026
Thinking about fashion as a career, Schiaparelli hawks her sketches.
—Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 28 Mar. 2026
Jessica Sulima, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Mar. 2026
Prager and the other three crew members huddled together below deck to sketch out a plan.
—Jack Crosbie, Rolling Stone, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sketch
Noun
The second episode of the live comedy show, which opened with a sketch about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (formerly Prince Andrew) and the Epstein scandal, drew 205,000 viewers, down from 226,000 for the inaugural episode.
—K.j. Yossman, Variety, 29 Mar. 2026
Thinking about fashion as a career, Schiaparelli hawks her sketches.
—Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 28 Mar. 2026
Verb
Maybe that looks like knitting, writing or sketching without distraction, or even meditating.
—Jessica Sulima, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Mar. 2026
Prager and the other three crew members huddled together below deck to sketch out a plan.
—Jack Crosbie, Rolling Stone, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sketch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sketch
Noun
-
By 2 payouts and previous drawings here.—
USA Today staff,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Loose, gestural ink drawings sit alongside still lifes of treasured objects, flea market finds are arranged like miniature stage sets, and candid snapshots of her Milan existence are collaged with painterly abandon.—
Lilah Ramzi,
Vogue,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
That family portrait is so weird!—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
27 Mar. 2026
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Along with the album cover, the shared a new black and white portrait of himself, captured by daughter Mary McCartney.—
Jami Ganz,
New York Daily News,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Detectives traced it to a house in South Lake Tahoe.—
Lauren Clark,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
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The source of the strong odor was traced to a circuit board that overheated, and it was replaced, Duffy said.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Rabbi Irwin Kula, the panel’s moderator, asked the participants to describe their biggest fear or nightmare.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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In 2024, Contra Costa County investigators searched a ravine and found the ladder Matthew Muller described using to climb into a family's house weeks after the March 2015 attack on Denise Huskins and Aaron Quinn.—
Lauren Clark,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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His 120 illustrations are colorful, sometimes combining nature photography with Walden’s original creations to form detailed settings.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
28 Mar. 2026
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Before the three scientists’ work, chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans were largely abstract animals to most people – zoo exhibits, textbook illustrations, evolutionary symbols.—
Mireya Mayor,
The Conversation,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Deputies said there is no suspect or vehicle description at this time, and the investigation continues.—
Brandon Downs,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
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The detectives trying to identify the woman reached out to the Star-Telegram for help and the newspaper ran the story in the Sunday newspaper, giving a description of the woman and the car, as well as the license plate number.—
Kevin Foster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Some schools also use an Individualized Health Care Plan (IHCP) — a nursing document that outlines how your child’s allergy will be managed throughout the school day.—
Dr. Sonja O'Leary,
Boston Herald,
29 Mar. 2026
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In the high southeastern sky, look for a backward question mark that outlines the head and chest of the constellation Leo the Lion.—
Mike Lynch,
Twin Cities,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The book portrays an authoritarian near-future Russia where most entertainment and all news comes through Cameras, people wired to transmit their experiences directly from their brains to the internet.—
Stephanie Burt,
New Yorker,
1 Apr. 2026
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Fisher will portray the recurring role of Michael Jorie, a dangerous killer with a warped sense of righteousness and piety to his beliefs that fuel his involvement in a southwestern gang with a long history of violence.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sketch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sketch. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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