checkered flag
Americannoun
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a flag having a pattern of black and white squares, used to signal that a car has crossed the finish line and completed its race.
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this signal indicating the first car to cross the finish line or the winner.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Britain’s George Russell led a 1-2 finish at the opener in Australia, before his 19-year-old teammate from Italy, Kimi Antonelli, took the checkered flag in China and Japan.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026
In a matter of 10 seconds, he had launched himself from third to first—and straight to the checkered flag.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 3, 2026
The first film I saw in a theater was “The Love Bug,” Disney’s 1969 comedy about a sentient Volkswagen Beetle named Herbie and the motley team who race him to many a checkered flag.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2025
Hamlin was soundly booed as he grabbed the checkered flag — boos louder than usual at the track because of the surprisingly full grandstands.
From Seattle Times • Apr. 28, 2024
A checkered flag waves and our cars speed off, zipping down virtual city streets and jumping over police cars.
From "The Sky at Our Feet" by Nadia Hashimi
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.