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sketchy

/ˈskɛt͡ʃi/adjective

sketchy is spelled S-K-E-T-C-H-Y: 7 letters and 2 syllables. It appears 1.7 times per million words in written English, the 21,798th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, sketchy means “Roughly or hastily laid out; intended for later refinement” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).

How many letters and syllables are in sketchy?

Letters7: S-K-E-T-C-H-Y
Syllables2 (from its American pronunciation)
In writing1.7 times per million words; the 21,798th most frequent word form
Wrong spellings searchednone measured in search

Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How common is sketchy?

Sketchy appears 1.7 times per million words in written English, the 21,798th most frequent word form in the list.

Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How do you pronounce sketchy?

  • /ˈskɛt͡ʃi/

Sketchy has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-sketchy.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).

Forms of sketchy

  • sketchier comparative
  • sketchiest superlative

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What does sketchy mean?

The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).

adjective

  1. 1

    Roughly or hastily laid out; intended for later refinement.

    The first draft included a sketchy design.

  2. 2

    Not thorough or detailed.

  3. 3

    Resembling a comedy sketch, of sketch quality.

  4. 4

    CanadaUSslangOf questionable or doubtful quality.

    The sketchy repair job did not look like it would hold.

  5. 5

    CanadaUSslangSuspected of taking part in illicit or dishonorable dealings.

    Because he is so sketchy, I always think that he is up to something.

  6. 6

    CanadaUSslangDisturbing or unnerving, often in such a way that others may suspect them of intending physical or sexual harm or harassment.

    Jack is so sketchy. I think he's stalking me.

  7. 7

    AustraliaslangDisturbing, or indicating possible danger.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

Sketchy in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese

LanguageWords
Frenchsommaire, incomplet, partiel, superficiel (roughly or hastily laid out; intended for later…), louche, glauque (of questionable or doubtful quality)
Germanskizzenhaft, flüchtig hingeworfen (roughly or hastily laid out; intended for later…), zusammengefrickelt, zurechtgefrickelt, zweifelhaft, fragwürdig (of questionable or doubtful quality)
Spanishde mala fama, de mala muerte, tener mala pinta (to be sketchy), flaite (of questionable or doubtful quality)
Portugueseescuso, suspeito (suspected of taking part in illicit or…)

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.

Where does sketchy come from?

From sketch + -y. Extension of "brief, imperfect, unfinished" notion.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What to look up after sketchy