checkered
Americanadjective
-
marked by numerous and various shifts or changes; variegated.
a checkered career.
-
marked by dubious episodes; suspect in character or quality.
a checkered past.
-
marked with squares.
a checkered fabric.
-
diversified in color; alternately light and shadowed.
the checkered shade beneath trees.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of checkered
Explanation
The author who sells a million copies of her first book, four of the second, wins a prize for the third and dies at the ceremony has had a checkered career: it's got bright spots and dark ones, like a checkerboard. Checkered is a funny word; it can be used to describe the red and white pattern on a classic tablecloth or the up's and down's of someone's past. You could describe the flag that's waved at a Nascar event as checkered. And if the winning Nascar driver used to work at a car wash, you could say he has had a checkered career.
Vocabulary lists containing checkered
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Check It Out, Mate: Chess Vocabulary
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Circuit
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Among the most popular: the Checkered Game of Life, created by game pioneer Milton Bradley in 1860.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 21, 2026
As Klamer wandered through the Milton Bradley archives in Massachusetts, his eye fell on a board game that Bradley had invented in 1860, the Checkered Game of Life, which rewarded virtue and punished vice.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 21, 2021
Logano’s own Team Penske teammate Brad Keselowski’s Checkered Flag Foundation partnered with local groups to provide meals to healthcare workers.
From Reuters • Mar. 31, 2020
Checkered paths weave through gardens framed by alabaster ivy-wrapped columns, trimmed cypress trees, box hedges, pergolas and ponds with floating lilies.
From Washington Post • Aug. 8, 2019
And in fact—maybe in fact—Samir was part of a secret chess club, the Brotherhood of the Checkered Pastime.
From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri
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.
