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Meaning & use

thumbnail sketch

noun·Advanced

Last updated

UK/ˈθʌmneɪl ˌsketʃ/
US/ˈθʌmneɪl ˌsketʃ/

Meanings

  1. nouncountablespecialist

    A very small, quick drawing made to plan the layout of a larger picture.

    Grammar: Countable: draw a thumbnail sketch, several thumbnail sketches.

    Patterns

    • a thumbnail sketch of something

    The illustrator drew six thumbnail sketches before choosing the final composition.

    A thumbnail sketch helped him see where the figures should stand on the page.

    She filled a notebook page with thumbnail sketches of the poster design.

  2. nouncountablefigurative

    A short written or spoken description that gives only the main points about a person, place or idea.

    Grammar: Usually followed by of: a thumbnail sketch of the town's history.

    Patterns

    • a thumbnail sketch of someone/something
    • give someone a thumbnail sketch

    The guide gave us a thumbnail sketch of the castle's history before we went in.

    Let me give you a quick thumbnail sketch of the candidates.

    The article opens with a thumbnail sketch of the author's early life.

Word forms

pluralthumbnail sketches

Common combinations

a quick thumbnail sketch
He made a quick thumbnail sketch of the room on a napkin.
draw a thumbnail sketch
Draw a thumbnail sketch first, then refine the shapes.
give a thumbnail sketch
Can you give a thumbnail sketch of the plot?
thumbnail sketch of a character
The novel begins with a thumbnail sketch of each character.
a brief thumbnail sketch
The report includes a brief thumbnail sketch of each department.

Synonyms and how they differ

outline
An outline gives the main structure of something, while a thumbnail sketch is shorter and often more visual or personal in feel.
summary
A summary condenses a text or event, whereas a thumbnail sketch is a quick portrait of a person, place or idea.
rough sketch
A rough sketch is any loose drawing, but a thumbnail sketch is specifically small and used for planning.
profile
A profile is usually a fuller description of a person, while a thumbnail sketch is deliberately brief.

Opposites

detailed account

Word family

thumbnail noun
a small image or the nail of the thumb
sketch noun
a rough, quick drawing or short description
sketch verb
to draw or describe roughly

Commonly confused: thumbnail sketch or thumbnail image?

thumbnail sketch vs thumbnail image

A thumbnail image is a small preview picture on a screen. A thumbnail sketch is a quick drawing or brief description.

Practice

Before painting the mural, the artist drew several small ___ to test different layouts.

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