drawing
Americannoun
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the act of a person or thing that draws.
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a graphic representation by lines of an object or idea, as with a pencil; a delineation of form without reference to color.
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a sketch, plan, or design, especially one made with pen, pencil, or crayon.
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the art or technique of making these.
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something decided by drawing lots; lottery.
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the selection, or time of selection, of the winning chance or chances sold by lottery or raffle.
noun
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a picture or plan made by means of lines on a surface, esp one made with a pencil or pen without the use of colour
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a sketch, plan, or outline
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the art of making drawings; draughtsmanship
Other Word Forms
- self-drawing noun
Etymology
Origin of drawing
A Middle English word dating back to 1275–1325; draw, -ing 1
Explanation
A drawing is a sketch or a picture, usually made with a pencil or pen. You might use extra class time after you've finished a test to make a quick drawing of your teacher sleeping at his desk. A drawing is an artwork that's not a painting — it's made of sketched lines and represents some object, person, or form. An architect might begin working on a project for a house design by doing some drawings, and a kindergartener might proudly hang a drawing of her family on the refrigerator. Another kind of drawing is the act of pulling, which is also the earliest meaning of the word.
Vocabulary lists containing drawing
Lessons 3–4
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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.
By its second season, “Euphoria” had become one of HBO’s most-watched series, with episodes drawing millions of viewers.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
It is, like you say, hard to avoid drawing these connections.
From Slate • Apr. 9, 2026
Journalists who cover aviation, defense and foreign policy were drawing that exact conclusion at the same time as Reddit users.
From Salon • Apr. 8, 2026
But Yardeni points out that retired boomers don’t stop spending, instead drawing down their accumulated net worth.
From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026
Pua’s the one who sat next to me on the bus, and who asked about my drawing, and who gasped at all the right moments when I told my Leo story.
From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila
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.
