Dictionary

sketchy en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈskɛt͡ʃi/

Etymology

From sketch + -y. Extension of "brief, imperfect, unfinished" notion.

Meanings

1. Roughly or hastily laid out; intended for later refinement.
   • The first draft included a sketchy design.
2. Not thorough or detailed.
   • 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:
   • Bond had just finished his sketchy summing-up of the players when Le Chiffre, with the silence and economy of movement of a big fish, came through the opening in the brass rail and, with a cold smile of welcome for the table, took his place directly opposite Bond in the banker's chair. 1953, Ian Fleming, “The High Table”, in Casino Royale, London: Pan Books, published 1955, page 73:
   • 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:
3. Resembling a comedy sketch, of sketch quality.
4. (Canada, US, slang) Of questionable or doubtful quality.
   • The sketchy repair job did not look like it would hold.
5. (Canada, US, of a person, slang) Suspected of taking part in illicit or dishonorable dealings.
   • 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:
   • Because he is so sketchy, I always think that he is up to something.
6. (Canada, US, of a person, slang) Disturbing or unnerving, often in such a way that others may suspect them of intending physical or sexual harm or harassment.
   • Jack is so sketchy. I think he's stalking me.
7. (Australia, of a situation, slang) Disturbing, or indicating possible danger.
   • "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):

Forms

Deriveds

sketchiness · sketchily · fetchy

Relateds

skeezy

Synonyms

dodgy · dubious · shady · dicey · seedy

Translations (53)

bg съмнителен (suspected of taking part in illicit or dishonorable dealings) · no tvilsom (of questionable or doubtful quality) · de zwielichtig (suspected of taking part in illicit or dishonorable dealings) · nb skisseaktig (roughly or hastily laid out; intended for later refinement) · hu fércmunka (of questionable or doubtful quality) · pt escuso (suspected of taking part in illicit or dishonorable dealings) · nn skisseaktig (roughly or hastily laid out; intended for later refinement) · sv skissartad (roughly or hastily laid out; intended for later refinement) · de nicht richtig vertrauenswürdig (suspected of taking part in illicit or dishonorable dealings) · bg повърхностен (roughly or hastily laid out; intended for later refinement) · ru подозри́тельный (suspected of taking part in illicit or dishonorable dealings) · es de mala fama (of questionable or doubtful quality) · sv dubiös (of questionable or doubtful quality) · it delineato (roughly or hastily laid out; intended for later refinement) · fr partiel (roughly or hastily laid out; intended for later refinement) · de fragwürdig (of questionable or doubtful quality) · de suspekt (suspected of taking part in illicit or dishonorable dealings) · de skizzenhaft (roughly or hastily laid out; intended for later refinement) · sv hastig (roughly or hastily laid out; intended for later refinement) · fr sommaire (roughly or hastily laid out; intended for later refinement) · de zurechtgefrickelt (of questionable or doubtful quality) · fi huonomaineinen (of questionable or doubtful quality) · pt suspeito (suspected of taking part in illicit or dishonorable dealings) · es tener mala pinta (to be sketchy) (of questionable or doubtful quality) · ru му́тный (suspected of taking part in illicit or dishonorable dealings) · fi summittainen (roughly or hastily laid out; intended for later refinement) · mk сомни́телен (of questionable or doubtful quality) · mk по́вршен (roughly or hastily laid out; intended for later refinement) · fr chelou (of questionable or doubtful quality) · sv tveksam (of questionable or doubtful quality) · sv tvivelaktig (of questionable or doubtful quality) · es de mala muerte (of questionable or doubtful quality) · fr louche (of questionable or doubtful quality) · fr incomplet (roughly or hastily laid out; intended for later refinement) · fr interlope (suspected of taking part in illicit or dishonorable dealings) · bg бегъл (roughly or hastily laid out; intended for later refinement) · fr superficiel (roughly or hastily laid out; intended for later refinement) · mk подозри́телен (suspected of taking part in illicit or dishonorable dealings) · it abbozzato (roughly or hastily laid out; intended for later refinement) · sv skum (suspected of taking part in illicit or dishonorable dealings) · fr glauque (of questionable or doubtful quality) · de zweifelhaft (of questionable or doubtful quality) · fi epäilyttävä (suspected of taking part in illicit or dishonorable dealings) · mk сомни́телен (suspected of taking part in illicit or dishonorable dealings) · sv suspekt (suspected of taking part in illicit or dishonorable dealings) · ru сомни́тельный (of questionable or doubtful quality) · de flüchtig hingeworfen (roughly or hastily laid out; intended for later refinement) · fi huonokuntoinen (of questionable or doubtful quality) · it sommario (roughly or hastily laid out; intended for later refinement) · de zusammengefrickelt (of questionable or doubtful quality) · it schizzato (roughly or hastily laid out; intended for later refinement) · fi luonnosmainen (roughly or hastily laid out; intended for later refinement) · es flaite (of questionable or doubtful quality)