cheat sheet
Americannoun
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a sheet of paper or a digital document containing information used by a student for cheating on an exam or in the classroom.
She had a cheat sheet for the history test with a list of the correct answers.
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a document containing notes or other aids used as a reference in studying or remembering certain information.
I used a cheat sheet with statistics and bar graphs to prepare for my radio interview.
Etymology
Origin of cheat sheet
First recorded in 1935–40
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Here’s your financial cheat sheet for building real wealth.
From MarketWatch • May 14, 2026
Scientists have uncovered evidence that evolution has relied on the same genetic "cheat sheet" for more than 120 million years, raising the possibility that life on Earth may be more predictable than once believed.
From Science Daily • May 4, 2026
There are ways to compress information to fit more of it onto this cheat sheet but it still fills up quickly.
From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026
That included helping him create a cheat sheet that listed when to use each card.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 2, 2026
Dr. Poirot has a cheat sheet that tells him everything about you.
From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
