sketchy

American  

[skech-ee] / ˈskɛtʃ i /

adjective

sketchier, sketchiest

1. like a sketch; giving only outlines or essentials.

   Synonyms:

   crude, meager, rough, cursory

2. imperfect, incomplete, slight, or superficial.

   a sketchy meal.

3. Informal.

   1. unreliable or unsafe.

      That street looks pretty sketchy.

   2. disreputable or shady.

      I'd stay away from him; he's got a sketchy past.

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sketchy British  

/ ˈskɛtʃɪ /

adjective

1. characteristic of a sketch; existing only in outline

2. superficial or slight

3. informal uncertain or unreliable

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Other Word Forms

• sketchily adverb
• sketchiness noun

Etymology

Origin of sketchy

First recorded in 1795–1805; sketch + -y ¹

Example Sentences

The 22-year-old American served six double faults and was broken five times in a sketchy display, but she had enough to win through and set up a match against Amanda Anisimova or Belinda Bencic.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

Free VPNs make sense for several reasons: trying services before buying, getting occasional privacy when you need it, emergency security on sketchy public WiFi, or giving people on tight budgets some basic protection.

From Salon • Feb. 12, 2026

MD: Sometimes it can be sketchy and you feel vulnerable.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 11, 2026

If companies’ reports were sketchy or unreliable, shareholders would likely demand an inside role and ongoing access to confidential information.

From Barron's • Jan. 2, 2026

Reluctantly, he told a story about his escape that was short, sketchy, sanitized—and largely incomprehensible to someone who was not steeped in the details of his life.

From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden

Related Words

• cursory
• faulty
• inadequate
• insufficient
• perfunctory
• preliminary
• skimpy
• superficial
• vague