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.

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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

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Etymology

Origin of checkpoint

First recorded in 1935–40; check ¹ + point

Example Sentences

In the first episode of the series, which aired on Thursday, five teams were tasked with reaching their first checkpoint, starting the race in Palermo, Sicily.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

Airport security lines are long because of a shortage of TSA security checkpoint officers, with over 450 quitting amid a government shutdown.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

Airlines might be more lenient when processing flight changes right now, but passengers shouldn’t expect a cash refund just because they were stuck at a security checkpoint.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 25, 2026

He said SFO security personnel are not part of TSA, and as a result, the airport has not had any checkpoint backups.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 22, 2026

Nathan probably hadn’t realized that it was a checkpoint and drove right past.

From "It All Comes Down to This" by Karen English