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checkered flag

American  

noun

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

No active driver has won at Long Beach more often Rossi or Kirkwood, who also took the checkered flag in 2023.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

But by the time they took the last checkered flag of the year, on Sunday in Abu Dhabi, it was Norris who had done just enough.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 7, 2025

“Well,” Verstappen said after taking the checkered flag, “it’s all possible now.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 1, 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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