sketch 1 of 2

noun

ˈskech How to pronounce sketch (audio)
Definition of sketchnext
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

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sketch

2 of 2

verb

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

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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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sketch
Noun
The content creator is known to her over 11 million followers for her online parody videos and comedy sketches. — Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026 Famous for its walls bearing scribbles and sketches left behind by patrons for over 60 years, El Batey, a bar in Old San Juan, is a Puerto Rican institution serving locals and tourists alike. — Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Verb
Admittedly, Mitchell is fairly creative in sketching the run-up to the dinosaur takeover, which includes ominous signs such as long-extinct plant life taking root overnight. — Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 22 Aug. 2026 Sam would draw a map, sketching out the coastline of the Levant and marking a dot. — Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sketch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sketch
  1. drawing
  2. portrait
  3. trace
  4. describe
  5. illustration
  6. description
  7. outline
  8. portray
Noun
  • Winning Triple Twist numbers 15-19-27-30-36-41 Check Triple Twist payouts and previous drawings here.
    — Lorenzino Estrada, AZCentral.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Powerball drawings are held every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
    — Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of drawing
Noun
  • Other works set to screen at the BFI include several of Maldoror’s non-fiction films, like Aimé Césaire, A Man, A Land, a documentary portrait of the Martinican author Aimé Césaire.
    — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The story begins as a richly detailed portrait of a woman who quietly accepts her role as the wife of a man who doesn’t recognize her value.
    — Ed Masley, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of portrait
Verb
  • Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise, which traces its roots to 1954, involved around 18,000 Korean troops and an undisclosed number of American soldiers this year.
    — Lisa Kim, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Wednesday’s State Department announcement also traced the collective to leftist groups across Europe that posted materials about their attacks on rail and energy infrastructure.
    — Hudson Crozier, The Washington Examiner, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of trace
Verb
  • Anton, whose gaze at the couple can only be described as wistful.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • For the first time, Fed officials described the demand generated by AI infrastructure buildouts as something that could continue to drive up prices for tech products and electricity—thereby pushing up inflation.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of describe
Noun
  • But the circumstances provide an unusually good illustration of how potentially enormous financial advantage can be gained from knowing in advance what a president is about to say.
    — Robert Rapier, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Holding cotton candy in one hand, Rani—whom Hudson shares with fiancé Danny Fujikawa—topped her long golden blonde hair with a cream cowboy hat that was embellished with her name and an illustration of a rose.
    — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of illustration
Noun
  • On the page, Hig’s first-person descriptions of his everyday adventures, and of the waning natural world around him, had an honest, melancholy soul to them.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
  • She was stunned how closely autism’s description fit her creative, sensitive girl — her strong need for routine, social anxiety, challenges with communication and sensory processing.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of description
Verb
  • Together, the index and margin determine your new interest rate, subject to the limits outlined in your loan agreement.
    — Rebecca Safier, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The rewards Gates, ever the optimist, also outlines some major boons the technology holds.
    — Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of outline
Verb
  • By this reasoning, federal agencies must be allowed to complete rulemaking before judges intervene, and challenges to the order are portrayed as speculative attempts to stop reforms that could be crafted within constitutional limits.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Following his success on M*A*S*H, Alda continued playing a TV doctor on ER in 1999 and six episodes of The Big C, as well as portraying a psychiatrist on Ray Donovan.
    — Rachel Flynn, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of portray

Browse Nearby Words

skeptics
sketch
sketched
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Cite this Entry

“Sketch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sketch. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on sketch

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sketch

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