checkered

American  

[chek-erd] / ˈtʃɛk ərd /

adjective

1. marked by numerous and various shifts or changes; variegated.

   a checkered career.

   Synonyms:

   seesaw, irregular, uneven, varied

2. marked by dubious episodes; suspect in character or quality.

   a checkered past.

3. marked with squares.

   a checkered fabric.

4. diversified in color; alternately light and shadowed.

   the checkered shade beneath trees.

---

Other Word Forms

• uncheckered adjective

Etymology

Origin of checkered

1350–1400; Middle English. See checker ¹, -ed ²

Example Sentences

No small feat, considering its checkered, less-than-ambitious launch.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2026

Musk’s previous combinations of SolarCity with Tesla and X —formerly Twitter—with xAI point to a checkered history of value creation via mergers.

From Barron's • Feb. 3, 2026

A series on BritBox blends the police thriller with complex family drama in following a magistrate with a checkered past.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 10, 2026

Moving into the bathroom, Jenner showed off her stunning shower, which is adorned with red-and-white checkered walls.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 16, 2025

Then we started the engine and motored down the inky East River with the tall, checkered buildings blinking down at us.

From "Hole in My Life" by Jack Gantos