WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
sketch /skɛtʃ/USA pronunciation
n. [countable]
v.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Fine Arta simply or quickly made drawing or painting, giving the basic features.
- a rough design, plan, or draft, as of a book.
- a brief or hasty outline of facts, occurrences, etc.:a quick sketch of what had happened.
- Literaturea short piece of writing, usually descriptive.
- Show Businessa short comic piece or routine.
v.
- to make a sketch or sketches of (something or someone): [~ + object]He sketched a quick drawing of the skyline.[no object]artists sketching along the river.
- to set forth or describe in a brief or general way:[~ + object]sketched the plan that he would use to trap his enemy.
sketch
(skech),USA pronunciation n.
v.t.
v.i.
sketch′er, n.
sketch′ing•ly, adv.
sketch′like′, adj.
- Fine Arta simply or hastily executed drawing or painting, esp. a preliminary one, giving the essential features without the details.
- a rough design, plan, or draft, as of a book.
- a brief or hasty outline of facts, occurrences, etc.:a sketch of his life.
- Literaturea short, usually descriptive, essay, history, or story.
- Show Businessa short play or slight dramatic performance, as one forming part of a vaudeville program.
v.t.
- to make a sketch of.
- to set forth in a brief or general account:He sketched his own part in the affair.
- Metallurgy(in a steel mill or the like) to mark (a piece) for cutting.
v.i.
- to make a sketch or sketches.
- Greek schédios
- Latin schedium extemporaneous poem, noun, nominal use of neuter of schedius extempore
- Dutch schets (noun, nominal)
Italian schizzo - 1660–70
sketch′ing•ly, adv.
sketch′like′, adj.
- 2. outline. 5. skit, act, routine. 6. draw, outline, design, rough out, delineate, represent. See depict.