Sketchy Meaning
/ˈskɛt͡ʃi/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
adjRoughly or hastily laid out; intended for later refinement.
adjNot thorough or detailed.
Sentence Examples
His explanation was too sketchy. I didn't understand it.
All this seems kind of sketchy.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
The area near the abandoned factory looked ____, so we left quickly.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The details of the witness's report were quite ____, making it difficult for the police to proceed.
Word Origin & History
From sketch + -y. Extension of "brief, imperfect, unfinished" notion.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"This is still in the design stage, so details are sketchy."
— 2021 August 11, Paul Bigland, “Where HS2 will meet EWR”, in RAIL, number 937, page 39:
"Bellos and Montagu offer a few sketchy alternatives, such as shorter post mortem protections or a curb on corporate rights capture, and call for a “broad debate” on copyright's future."
— 2024 January 13, Boyd Tonkin, “The culture of copyright creep”, in FT Weekend (Life & Arts section), London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 9:
"The downside of working with sketchy dudes on building sites and in greasy spoons was that they were sketchy, but they also knew shady things."
— 2019, Colson Whitehead, The Nickel Boys, Fleet, page 201:
""We were a bit nervous about it, seeing heaps of surfers out there on the breaks," he said. "There were some nice breaks, but it looked pretty sketchy with the sharks, so yeah, we just tried to stay away from that beach.""
— 2025 January 4, “Surfing community again in mourning after latest shark attack on SA coast”, in ABC News (Australia):
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The area near the abandoned factory looked ____, so we left quickly.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The details of the witness's report were quite ____, making it difficult for the police to proceed.