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
Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 11 Mar. 2025
What comes across here even more than Gaga’s talent is her sincerity, an ideal tonal match for a series of pretty strange (compliment) sketches.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 9 Mar. 2025
The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 13 Mar. 2025
The family dynamic is deftly sketched as Maddie takes in details from Alice and shoots back instructions, ignoring Frank’s alarmed requests to know what’s going on.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sketch
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Noun
In a new interview, Johansson reflected on the dirty joke Che wrote for her significant other to read on the NBC late-night sketch show.
—Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 11 Mar. 2025
What comes across here even more than Gaga’s talent is her sincerity, an ideal tonal match for a series of pretty strange (compliment) sketches.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 9 Mar. 2025
Verb
Deloria sketches a history of museums in the West—stretching from the curiosity cabinets of four centuries ago to the rise of tribal museums today.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 13 Mar. 2025
The family dynamic is deftly sketched as Maddie takes in details from Alice and shoots back instructions, ignoring Frank’s alarmed requests to know what’s going on.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sketch
Articles Related to sketch
Cite this Entry
“Sketch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sketch. Accessed 18 Mar. 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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