sketchy
Not quite trustworthy
Sketchy describes something that lacks detail or completeness—a sketch rather than a finished picture.
A sketchy outline gives only the rough shape.
A sketchy account leaves out important information.
The word has developed a strong informal sense meaning dubious or potentially dangerous: a sketchy neighborhood, a sketchy deal, a sketchy guy.
Something sketchy feels untrustworthy, as if crucial details are being hidden.
Disreputable or sun-blocked
- fishyArousing doubt, colloquially
- dodgyQuestionable in character
- questionableOf uncertain validity
- suspiciousInclined to distrust
untrustworthy · shifty · seedy · disreputable · crooked · sleazy · dicey · iffy
Uneven in surface
- hastyExcessively quick, ill-considered
- cursoryHasty and incomplete
- superficialLacking depth or substance
- preliminaryBefore the main part
unfinished · partial · fragmentary · bare-bones · barebones · undeveloped · half-baked · perfunctory
Not easily understood
indistinct · imprecise · ambiguous · uncertain · ill-defined · blurry · foggy · indefinite
Crudely illustrated, unrefined
- doodledDrew without purpose
- outlinedTraced the edges of
- penciledMarked with graphite
- gesturalRelating to body movements
loose · freehand · unpolished · unrefined · impressionistic · draft · preliminary · thumbnail
shady
Disreputable or sun-blocked
- fishyArousing doubt, colloquially
- dodgyQuestionable in character
- questionableOf uncertain validity
suspicious · untrustworthy · shifty · seedy · disreputable · crooked · sleazy · dicey · iffy · suspect
rough
Uneven in surface
- hastyExcessively quick, ill-considered
- cursoryHasty and incomplete
- superficialLacking depth or substance
preliminary · unfinished · partial · fragmentary · bare-bones · barebones · undeveloped · half-baked · perfunctory · quick
unclear
Not easily understood
nebulous · indistinct · imprecise · ambiguous · uncertain · ill-defined · blurry · foggy · indefinite · obscure
rough-drawn
Crudely illustrated, unrefined
gestural · loose · freehand · unpolished · unrefined · impressionistic · draft · preliminary · thumbnail · compositional
- incompleteincomplete, unfinished, partial, fragmentary, half-done
- linesstraight line, line, dotted line, dashed line, solid line
- Questionabledubious, shady, fishy, iffy, dodgy
- shortshort, brief, small, little, tiny
- slang adjectivescool, awesome, dope, lit, sick
- suspiciondistrust, suspicion, mistrust, suspiciousness, doubt
sketchydetailed
Full of specifics
thorough · comprehensive · complete · exhaustive · in-depth
sketchytrustworthy
Worthy of confidence
legitimate · reliable · reputable · credible · safe
- composite sketchesFacial images from descriptions
- sketch outDescribe in general terms
- sketch padBound paper for artwork
- sketch comedyShort comic performances
- comedy sketchesShort humorous performances
- police sketchForensic facial reconstruction drawing
sketch, sketching, sketched, sketches, sketchbook, sketchpad, sketcher, sketchily, sketchiness