cheat sheet

[ cheet sheet ]

noun

, Informal.

1. a sheet of paper or a digital document containing information used by a student for cheating on an exam or in the classroom:

   She had a cheat sheet for the history test with a list of the correct answers.

2. a document containing notes or other aids used as a reference in studying or remembering certain information:

   I used a cheat sheet with statistics and bar graphs to prepare for my radio interview.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cheat sheet¹

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

Still, it can get confusing, so here’s a cheat sheet for the undecided: Swift is not a fan of the former president.

From Los Angeles Times

Patel’s plot relies on sexual aggression toward women as a moral cheat sheet while also using the same exploitation as a cheeky visual backdrop — a trope that can often be a trap.

From Los Angeles Times

Anticipating that bewildered tourists will need help figuring out what shows to see, TDF is already dispatching red-jacketed staffers to preview performances and updating a sprawling cheat sheet as the employees brace for questions on what the new shows are about and who is in them.

From New York Times

Here’s a cheat sheet to the new political sports talk:

From New York Times

It’s not Usher’s first time on what has become entertainment’s biggest musical stage — he joined the Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am for his 2011 set and has said he’d use that performance as a “cheat sheet” for Sunday’s show.

From Seattle Times