sketchily

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "sketchily" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is done in a brief, incomplete, or rough manner. Example: "The report was sketchily written, lacking the necessary details to support the conclusions."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

To the right is a patch of sky with sketchily drawn buildings below.

The Economist

"Game of Thrones" serves up a lot of confusion in the name of no larger or really relevant idea beyond sketchily fleshed-out notions that war is ugly, families are insidious and power is hot.

The New York Times - Arts

Caprine contagion Of bulls and ballots Shameful honour Old Spanish practices ReprintsThe government, which admits that it initially understood the disease only sketchily, is trying to tread gently.

The Economist

Having studied the way Hindi films treat mental illness, Dr Bhugra finds that too often psychoses are sketchily portrayed: they frequently involve people "hearing voices".

The Economist

As for Mr Edwards, his brazen infidelity with a political hanger-on and videographer, who rambled on about reincarnation and who introduced herself as a witch, only serves to demonstrate that America dodged a bullet in 2004 when Mr Edwards was the vice-presidential nominee.The minor candidates get their say, though they are, not surprisingly, covered more sketchily.

The Economist

Speaking at the Conservative Party conference, Dr Fox sketchily outlined an impractical-sounding scheme to fine patients who waste the NHS's time.

The Economist

IN SPITE of its wooden dialogue, sketchily drawn characters and a plot that fails to fulfil its considerable promise, "The Da Vinci Code" has been a sensational bestseller.

The Economist

A network of tax treaties exists among the industrialized countries, but they apply only sketchily to the less-developed countries.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Usually the adversary has a minor role, serving only to prod the speaker into extended comment on the issue (vice or folly) at hand; he may be sketchily defined, or he may be as effectively projected as Horace's Trebatius (Satires, II, i) or his awful bore (I, vi) or his slave Davus, who turns the tables on his master (II, vii).

Encyclopedia Britannica

(It should be noted that, although Josh Gibson is credited with hitting 89 home runs in one season, Negro league records, which were sketchily kept, are not included in Major League Baseball statistics).

Encyclopedia Britannica

There were several hundred poleis, the history and constitutions of most of which are known only sketchily if at all.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "sketchily" when you want to convey that something is done without much attention to detail or in a preliminary manner. It is particularly effective when describing plans, drawings, or explanations.

Common error

While "sketchily" is generally acceptable, avoid overuse in formal or academic writing where more precise terms like "superficially" or "incompletely" might be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "sketchily" is as an adverb, modifying verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs to indicate the manner in which an action is performed. Ludwig's examples illustrate its use in describing how something is drawn, outlined, or reported, suggesting a lack of detail or thoroughness. Ludwig AI confirms the term's usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Encyclopedias

18%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Science

9%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "sketchily" is a grammatically sound and frequently used adverb that describes something done in a lacking detail. As supported by Ludwig, its usage is widespread across various contexts, particularly in news and media, with some presence in encyclopedic writing. While its register is generally neutral, formal contexts may benefit from more precise alternatives such as "superficially" or "incompletely". Remember to use "sketchily" when emphasizing a lack of thoroughness, while avoiding overuse in strictly formal environments.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in a sketchy manner

Uses a more verbose construction while conveying the same meaning as the single-word adverb "sketchily".

superficially

Indicates a lack of thoroughness and depth, similar to "sketchily" but focusing more on the surface level.

incompletely

Highlights the unfinished nature of something, sharing the notion of lacking full development with "sketchily".

cursorily

Suggests a hasty and brief examination or treatment, emphasizing speed over detail, like "sketchily".

without detail

Directly points out the absence of specifics or elaboration, similar to the lack of thoroughness in "sketchily".

roughly

Implies an approximate or imprecise manner, close to the sense of something done without fine detail as with "sketchily".

briefly

Focuses on the short duration or limited extent of something, akin to the lack of depth implied by "sketchily".

perfunctorily

Suggests a routine or indifferent approach, where attention to detail is lacking as with "sketchily".

hastily

Emphasizes the speed and lack of carefulness in execution, sharing the implication of incompleteness with "sketchily".

glancingly

Suggests a quick, passing look or treatment, emphasizing a lack of sustained attention much like "sketchily".

FAQs

How can I use "sketchily" in a sentence?

"Sketchily" is used as an adverb to describe something done without much detail or in a hurried manner. For example, "The plan was "sketchily outlined", lacking specific details."

What are some alternatives to "sketchily"?

You can use alternatives such as "superficially", "roughly", or "briefly" depending on the context.

Is "sketchily" appropriate for formal writing?

While grammatically correct, "sketchily" may be less suitable for highly formal writing. Consider using more precise alternatives like "incompletely" or "perfunctorily" in such cases.

What does it mean when something is described as "sketchily drawn"?

When something is "sketchily drawn", it means it's depicted or illustrated with a lack of detail, often quickly and without precision. It suggests a preliminary or incomplete representation.