sketchy

adjective

ˈske-chē 

sketchier; sketchiest

1

: of the nature of a sketch : roughly outlined

2

: wanting in completeness, clearness, or substance : slight, superficial

the details are sketchy

3

: questionable, iffy

got into a sketchy situation

a sketchy character

sketchily

ˈske-chə-lē 

adverb

sketchiness

ˈske-chē-nəs 

noun

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The Varied Meanings of Sketchy

A sketch is a rough drawing usually done as an initial draft in contrast to a finished work. The word sketch suggests imperfection and a lack of refinement. It comes from the Dutch word schets and ultimately from the Italian verb schizzare, an imitative verb meaning "to splash."

Unsurprisingly, the adjective sketchy originally described something relating to or resembling a sketch, as in "a sketchy portrait." But because sketches are by nature rough and ill-defined, sketchy soon came to mean "wanting in completeness, clearness, or substance," as in "a sketchy understanding" or "sketchy details."

What lacks completeness, clearness, or substance is also subject to doubt or challenge, and sketchy went on to develop uses applying to what is questionable or iffy, either for physically obvious qualities or for something less tangible. In sports we see this sense of sketchy applied to a track or surface that is poorly maintained, as in "a sketchy track," and in broader use it is applied to streets and neighborhoods that can also be described as seedy, as in "a sketchy part of town."

The adjective has more recently extended in use to describe someone who creates an impression of unsavoriness, or something that comes from an untrustworthy source or is itself untrustworthy, as in "a sketchy dude" or "a scheme that sounds sketchy."

Examples of sketchy in a Sentence

The details about the accident are still a little sketchy.

I have only a sketchy idea of how it works.

Recent Examples on the Web

What Are the Risks to Human Rights? Saudi Arabia's victory raised concerns about FIFA's commitment to human rights, especially given the kingdom's controversial labor practices and sketchy rights record. —Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024

This made for explosive headlines in the Miami Herald and on television news programs, but the evidence connecting these killings to Willy or Sal was sketchy. —T.j. English, People.com, 30 Nov. 2024

Who better to help him through that than, say, a dreamy chaplain who might or might not be sketchy? —Laura Bradley, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2024

Heraclitus was a loner, according to the sketchy accounts of him, and rather a crank. —David Quammen, Outside Online, 29 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1805, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

sketchy

adjective

ˈskech-ē 

sketchier; sketchiest

1

: of the nature of a sketch : roughly outlined

2

: lacking completeness, clearness, or substance : slight, vague