sketchy

adjective
UK: /ˈsketʃi/
US: /ˈsketʃi/

  1. Looking or seeming dishonest, dangerous or unreliable; suspicious.

    1. That guy looks a bit sketchy to me.
    2. I don't trust him because his explanation of what happened sounded pretty sketchy.

  2. Not completely safe or legal; possibly involving dishonesty or illegality.

    1. The neighborhood felt a little sketchy at night.
    2. He got involved in some pretty sketchy deals to earn quick money and now regrets it.

  3. Not detailed or well-developed; rough or incomplete.

    1. My knowledge of French is a bit sketchy.
    2. The plans for the new building are still a bit sketchy, so it is hard to estimate the cost.

Synonyms

questionable unreliable dubious vague dodgy incomplete suspicious

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "sketchy" in English means: Looking or seeming dishonest, dangerous or unreliable; suspicious., Not completely safe or legal; possibly involving dishonesty or illegality., Not detailed or well-developed; rough or incomplete..

The phonetic transcription of "sketchy" is /ˈsketʃi/ in British English and /ˈsketʃi/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "sketchy": questionable, unreliable, dubious, vague, dodgy, incomplete, suspicious.

Example usage of "sketchy": "That guy looks a bit sketchy to me.". More examples on the page.