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Meaning & use

drafting

verb, noun·Academictechnical

Last updated

UK/ˈdrɑːf.tɪŋ/
US/ˈdræf.tɪŋ/

“drafting” is a form of “draft”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.

Meanings

  1. verbtransitive or intransitive

    Writing or preparing an early version of a text, plan, law, or design before revision.

    Grammar: Often takes an object: drafting an email; it can also name the activity: drafting took all morning.

    Patterns

    • drafting an email
    • drafting a proposal

    She is drafting a proposal for the neighborhood cleanup fund.

    He spent Sunday drafting and deleting the same difficult message.

  2. noununcountabletechnicalspecialist

    The technical skill of making precise measured drawings for buildings, machines, or products.

    Grammar: Names a discipline or process, not one drawing; one sheet is a draft or drawing, the practice is drafting.

    Patterns

    • technical drafting
    • drafting standards

    Students learned drafting with rulers, scales, and CAD tools.

    Good drafting keeps every measurement consistent across the plan set.

  3. nounusually singularsportAmerican

    The selection of new players by a professional sports team or league.

    Grammar: Used as the event or process; a team makes its pick in the draft, not usually in a drafting.

    Patterns

    • enter the drafting
    • drafting process

    Scouts debated prospects long before drafting began.

    The new drafting rules gave weaker teams earlier picks.

Common combinations

drafting a proposal
Drafting a proposal took longer than presenting it.
legislative drafting
Legislative drafting requires precise definitions and careful transitions.
technical drafting
Technical drafting classes moved from paper triangles to software.

Synonyms and how they differ

outlining
Outlining builds a skeleton; drafting usually means writing fuller early sentences.
sketching
Sketching suits quick ideas or drawings; drafting suggests precision or a developed first version.
selecting
For sports, selecting names the choice; drafting is the formal league process.

Word family

draft verb
To write or design a first version.
draft noun
A preliminary version or, in sports, a selection event.
drafter noun
A person who writes or prepares official texts or technical drawings.

Commonly confused: drafting or draught?

drafting vs draught

British spelling for some uses of draft, and also a word for beer from a tap or a current of air; meanings overlap partly by region.

Practice

Which use of “drafting” means writing an early version?

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