sketchy

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

Of questionable or doubtful quality.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

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

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “sketchy” mean?

Of questionable or doubtful quality.

Is “sketchy” formal or informal?

sketchy is generally slang.