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
Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
In it, Toklas comments on his debut collection, alongside sketches by René Gruau of eight key looks.
—Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 19 Sep. 2025
Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2025
In the wake of Balmain’s death, his right-hand man and a studio veteran of over three decades picked up the mantle by finishing the fall 1982 collection the late founder had begun sketching.
—Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sketch
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Noun
After sharing his golf sketches on Instagram, Rivard was soon inundated with requests for golf holes.
—Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
In it, Toklas comments on his debut collection, alongside sketches by René Gruau of eight key looks.
—Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
However, senior research strategist Michael Brown of foreign currency brokerage Pepperstone sketched out his theory after Miran’s weird triple mandate comment roiled bond trading desks across the globe.
—Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2025
In the wake of Balmain’s death, his right-hand man and a studio veteran of over three decades picked up the mantle by finishing the fall 1982 collection the late founder had begun sketching.
—Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sketch
Cite this Entry
“Sketch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sketch. Accessed 21 Sep. 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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