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Synonyms

character sketch

American  

noun

Literature.

  1. a short essay describing a person; literary profile.

character sketch British  

noun

  1. a brief description or portrayal of a person's character, qualities, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of character sketch

First recorded in 1880–85

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.

I wrote that one, and within a year, every character sketch all started with jingles and montage.

From Salon • Nov. 29, 2023

The difference between the artists’ work is like the difference between a grand aristocratic portrait and a psychologically nuanced character sketch.

From Washington Post • Apr. 29, 2023

Too bad the comedic, almost clowning elements in the script work against the ethical questions the film otherwise takes seriously, making the whole thing feel more like a character sketch than a fleshed-out drama.

From New York Times • Mar. 3, 2023

Even if you don’t personally fit the aforementioned character sketch of a Bad Bunny fan, it’s getting harder to circumvent the fanfare that surrounds the 27-year-old singer-MC, online and otherwise.

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2022

Write a character sketch of Burke, drawing upon this speech for illustrations wherever possible.

From Teachers' Outlines for Studies in English Based on the Requirements for Admission to College by Blakely, Gilbert Sykes

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.