drawing
Americannoun
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drawings
plural
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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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of drawing
A Middle English word dating back to 1275–1325; see origin at 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.
See Examples For:
Some expressed hope that the latest crypto bear market — which crypto enthusiasts call a “crypto winter” — might finally be drawing to a close after a punishing 10-month stretch.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026
For the analysis, the researchers used a framework guided by existing scientific knowledge while also drawing on large amounts of observational data.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026
Burger King has lately been drawing diners at a swifter rate than both McDonald’s MCD 0.21%increase; up pointing triangle and Wendy’s WEN -0.12%decrease; down pointing triangle , and its restaurant sales are growing faster.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
The moment was captured on video and quickly spread online, drawing thousands of warm reactions.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
The drawing at the top was of a young girl with silvery hair and a long red cloak.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
They include a wall that has been covered in stuffed animals and a ceiling mural that was inspired by the drawings of his daughter, Sovereign.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026
If you’re still stuck on the outside looking in after two unsuccessful ticket lottery drawings, there is hope.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026
She dug into troves of paintings and drawings, some owned by family members, and chose more than 80, many of which have never been displayed in public, that make the point.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026
The same might be said for David Potter’s “Atlas of the Roman Empire: Battles, Conquests, Legions, and Rulers,” which traces Rome’s imperial evolution through maps, artifacts, explanatory drawings and clean, matter-of-fact prose.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
“Why do you sign your drawings ‘Coal’?” she asked.
From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste
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.
