checkpoint

American  

[chek-point] / ˈtʃɛkˌpɔɪnt /

noun

1. a place along a road, border, etc., where travelers are stopped for inspection.

2. a point or item, especially in a procedure, for notation, inspection, or confirmation.

---

checkpoint British  

/ ˈtʃɛkˌpɔɪnt /

noun

1. a place, as at a frontier or in a motor rally, where vehicles or travellers are stopped for official identification, inspection, etc

---

Etymology

Origin of checkpoint

First recorded in 1935–40; check ¹ + point

Example Sentences

Local Palestinian residents pointed out that the home of Sam's family is just on the other side of an Israeli checkpoint.

From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026

To determine whether these findings were relevant in real-world patients, Chinnaiyan's team analyzed large transcriptomic and clinical datasets from people who had received checkpoint inhibitor therapies for solid tumors.

From Science Daily • Jun. 4, 2026

At every checkpoint, company agents enlisted local guides to ride along and direct the Ford cars for miles.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

Silva, a housewife, rests on a bench in the plaza, a few meters from a military checkpoint.

From Barron's • May 18, 2026

I would have to register at the checkpoint without raising suspicion.

From "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys